Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
Drawing Manual
2009 Tekla Corporation and its licensors. All rights reserved. This Software Manual has been developed for use with the referenced Software. Use of the Software, and use of this Software Manual are governed by a License Agreement. Among other provisions, the License Agreement sets certain warranties for the Software and this Manual, disclaims other warranties, limits recoverable damages, defines permitted uses of the Software, and determines whether you are an authorized user of the Software. All information set forth in this manual is provided with the warranty set forth in the License Agreement. Please refer to the License Agreement for important obligations and applicable limitations and restrictions on your rights. Tekla does not guarantee that the text is free of technical inaccuracies or typographical errors. Tekla reserves the right to make changes and additions to this manual due to changes in the software or otherwise. In addition, this Software Manual is protected by copyright law and by international treaties. Unauthorized reproduction, display, modification, or distribution of this Manual, or any portion of it, may result in severe civil and criminal penalties, and will be prosecuted to the full extent permitted by law. Tekla, Tekla Structures, Xcity, Xengineer, Xpipe, Xroad, Xpower, Xsteel, and Xstreet are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Tekla Corporation in the European Union, the United States, and/or other countries. Other product and company names mentioned in this Manual are or may be trademarks of their respective owners. By referring to a third-party product or brand, Tekla does not intend to suggest an affiliation with or endorsement by such third party and disclaims any such affiliation or endorsement, except where otherwise expressly stated. Portions of this software: D-Cubed 2D DCM 2008 Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software III (GB) Ltd. All rights reserved. EPM toolkit 1995-2004 EPM Technology a.s., Oslo, Norway. All rights reserved. XML parser 1999 The Apache Software Foundation. All rights reserved. Project Data Control Library 2006 - 2007 DlhSoft. All rights reserved. DWGdirect, DGNdirect and OpenDWG Toolkit/Viewkit libraries 1998-2005 Open Design Alliance. All rights reserved. FLEXnet Copyright 2006 Acresso Software Inc. All Rights Reserved. This product contains proprietary and confidential technology provided by and owned by Acresso Software Inc. Of Chicago, Illinois, USA. Any use, copying, publication, distribution, display, modification, or transmission of such technology in whole or in part in any form or by any means without the prior express written permission of Acresso Software Inc. is strictly prohibited. Except where expressly provided by Acresso Software Inc. in writing, possession of this technology shall not be construed to confer any license or rights under any of Acresso Softwares intellectual property rights, whether by estoppel, implication, or otherwise. The software is protected by U.S. Patent 7,302,368. Also elements of the software described in this Manual may be the subject of pending patent applications in the European Union and/or other countries including U.S. patent applications 2004031231, 2004267695, 2005285881, 2006000484 and 200613639.
Contents
Preface .............................................................................................................17
Audience ........................................................................................................................................................... 17 Additional help resources .................................................................................................................................. 17 Conventions used in this guide ......................................................................................................................... 18 Related guides .................................................................................................................................................. 19
TEKLA STRUCTURES 15
Drawing status flags ......................................................................................................................... 46 2.3 Creating drawings ................................................................................................................................. 48 Before creating drawings.................................................................................................................. Setting drawing properties and rule sets ................................................................................... Master Drawing Catalog................................................................................................................... Saved settings ........................................................................................................................... Rule set ...................................................................................................................................... Wizard file .................................................................................................................................. Cloning template ........................................................................................................................ Adding saved settings to Master Drawing Catalog .................................................................... Editing master drawing properties of saved settings ................................................................. Creating drawings using saved settings .................................................................................... Adding a rule set to Master Drawing Catalog ............................................................................ Editing master drawing properties of rule sets ........................................................................... Editing master drawing properties and contents of wizard files ................................................. Creating drawings using rule sets .............................................................................................. Adding a new cloning template to Master Drawing Catalog ...................................................... Editing master drawing properties of cloning templates ............................................................ Creating drawings using cloning templates ............................................................................... Creating and adding preview images ........................................................................................ Selecting the displayed master drawings .................................................................................. Displaying master drawing descriptions .................................................................................... Working with folders .................................................................................................................. Using search in Master Drawing Catalog .................................................................................. Removing master drawings from the Master Drawing Catalog ................................................. Using drawing-type-specific commands to create drawings............................................................. Creating single-part or assembly drawings ................................................................................ Creating cast unit drawings ....................................................................................................... Creating general arrangement drawings ................................................................................... Creating anchor bolt plans ......................................................................................................... Creating multi-drawings ............................................................................................................. Creating multiple drawings of the same part using properties dialog box ................................. Using AutoDrawings to create drawings .......................................................................................... Creating multiple drawings of the same part using AutoDrawings ............................................ Creating drawings from drawing templates using AutoDrawings ............................................. Cloning through Drawing List ........................................................................................................... Cloning single-part, cast-unit and assembly drawings ............................................................... Cloning general arrangement drawings ..................................................................................... Defining objects to be cloned ..................................................................................................... Creating drawings from cloning templates using Clone Drawing ............................................. Creating preview images of cloning templates .......................................................................... View-specific dimension cloning....................................................................................................... Marks in cloned drawings.................................................................................................................
4
TEKLA STRUCTURES 15
48 49 49 54 54 55 56 57 57 58 59 60 61 62 62 63 64 65 65 65 66 67 69 69 70 71 72 73 78 79 80 81 81 82 82 83 85 85 86 88 89
Checking dimensions and views in cloned drawings ....................................................................... 90 2.4 Working with drawings.......................................................................................................................... 90 Locking and freezing drawings......................................................................................................... Drawing objects associated with model objects............................................................................... Associative symbol .................................................................................................................... Highlight changes in associative dimensions, marks, and notes ............................................... Change symbols in printed drawings ......................................................................................... Creating static drawings ............................................................................................................ Updating drawings when the model changes .................................................................................. Finding parts that have no drawings ................................................................................................ Modifying multiple drawings ............................................................................................................. Issuing drawings .............................................................................................................................. Drawing revisions............................................................................................................................. Creating revisions ...................................................................................................................... Changing revisions .................................................................................................................... Deleting revisions ...................................................................................................................... Moving views to another drawing..................................................................................................... 2.5 2.6 91 91 92 92 93 93 93 94 95 95 95 96 96 96 97
Saving and closing drawings ................................................................................................................ 98 Drawing reference ................................................................................................................................ 98 Create Single-Part Drawing ........................................................................................................... Create Assembly Drawing.............................................................................................................. Create Cast Unit Drawing .............................................................................................................. Create General Arrangement Drawing........................................................................................... Create Multidrawings ..................................................................................................................... Drawings & Reports > AutoDrawing... ........................................................................................... View > Create Drawing View > Of Entire Model View.................................................................... View > Create Drawing View > Of Selected Area in Model ........................................................... View > Create Drawing View > Of Selected Area in Drawing View ............................................... View > Create Drawing View > Of Selected Part in Drawing View > Front, Top, Back, Bottom, 3D ........................................................................................................................... View > Create Drawing View > Section View................................................................................ View > Create Drawing View > Curved Section View .................................................................... View > Create Drawing View > Detail View ................................................................................... 100 101 103 104 105 107 108 108 108 109 109 110 110
TEKLA STRUCTURES 15
Defining distances between tables................................................................................................. Setting table scales and transparency ........................................................................................... Replacing a table with another one ................................................................................................ Opening tables in Template Editor ................................................................................................. Adding images in drawing templates.............................................................................................. 3.4
Key plan .............................................................................................................................................. 120 Drawing view as a key plan............................................................................................................ 121 DWG/DXF as a key plan ................................................................................................................ 122 Adding a key plan to a drawing layout............................................................................................ 122
3.5
Scale and location of drawing views ................................................................................................... 123 Automatically scaled drawing views ............................................................................................... Using autoscale ....................................................................................................................... Scale change mode ................................................................................................................. Preferred size .......................................................................................................................... Location of views in drawings......................................................................................................... Setting the projection type ....................................................................................................... Setting the section and end view location ................................................................................ Including single part views in assembly drawing ..................................................................... Expanding shortened parts ............................................................................................................ 123 123 124 124 124 124 125 126 126 127 128 128 128 128 129 129
3.6
Drawing size........................................................................................................................................ 126 Specifying drawing size.................................................................................................................. Automatically sizing drawings ........................................................................................................ Drawing sizes .......................................................................................................................... Table layout ............................................................................................................................. Defining fixed drawing sizes........................................................................................................... Defining calculated drawing sizes .................................................................................................. Both autoscaling and autosizing drawings .....................................................................................
Dimensioning......................................................................................... 131
4.1 Dimension basics................................................................................................................................ 131 Dimension types............................................................................................................................. Automatic dimensioning ................................................................................................................. Pre-defined dimension defaults ............................................................................................... Manual dimensioning .................................................................................................................... Dimension planes........................................................................................................................... 4.2 Overall dimensions......................................................................................................................... Main part overall ...................................................................................................................... Assembly part overall .............................................................................................................. Part mark on dimension line .................................................................................................... Internal dimensions ........................................................................................................................ 132 133 133 133 135 137 138 138 138 139
TEKLA STRUCTURES 15
Shape dimensions.......................................................................................................................... 139 Radius and bevel dimensions ........................................................................................................ 140 Unfolding dimensions..................................................................................................................... 141 4.3 Bolt dimensions .................................................................................................................................. 142 Bolt internal dimensions ................................................................................................................. Main and secondary part bolt internal dimensions .................................................................. Skewed bolt groups ................................................................................................................. GOL, C/C, GAGE ........................................................................................................................... 4.4 Position bolts to and Position parts to ............................................................................................ Secondary part............................................................................................................................... Embedded objects ......................................................................................................................... Skew secondary parts.................................................................................................................... Changing the direction of running dimensions ............................................................................... Main part bolt position .................................................................................................................... Additional bolt position dimensions ................................................................................................ Main part skew position.................................................................................................................. Skew position ................................................................................................................................. Centered parts and bolts................................................................................................................ Elevation dimensions ..................................................................................................................... Leading or trailing edge.................................................................................................................. 4.5 Reinforcement dimension marks.................................................................................................... Creating automatic reinforcement dimensions............................................................................... Adding reinforcement dimensions and dimension marks manually ............................................... Adding closing dimensions manually ....................................................................................... Adding reinforcement dimension lines ........................................................................................... 4.6 4.7 4.8 143 143 144 144 147 149 150 150 151 151 151 152 153 153 155 157 158 159 161 163 163
Dimensioning nested assemblies ....................................................................................................... 164 Using check dimensions ..................................................................................................................... 164 Using knock off dimensions ........................................................................................................... 166 Controlling dimensions ....................................................................................................................... 166 Combining dimensions................................................................................................................... No option ................................................................................................................................. First option ............................................................................................................................... Second option ......................................................................................................................... Third option ............................................................................................................................. Fourth option ........................................................................................................................... Fifth option ............................................................................................................................... 4.5 option ................................................................................................................................. Combination distances ............................................................................................................ Combining bolt groups ................................................................................................................... 167 168 169 169 169 170 170 170 170 172
TEKLA STRUCTURES 15
Grouping identical objects to the same dimension line .................................................................. Forward offset ................................................................................................................................ Recognizable distance ................................................................................................................... Closing dimensions ........................................................................................................................ 4.9 Adjusting automatic grid dimensions.............................................................................................. Adjusting automatic part dimensions.............................................................................................. Adjusting maximum leader line length ..................................................................................... Dimensioning parts not entirely in the view ............................................................................. Adjusting the maximum number of outside dimensions .......................................................... Using object group dimensioning rules in defining the dimensioned parts .............................. Adjusting part dimension position ............................................................................................ Adding automatic text tags to part dimension lines ................................................................. Accessing dimension settings ........................................................................................................ Selecting the dimension types ................................................................................................. Creating short extension lines ................................................................................................. Selecting angle ....................................................................................................................... Selecting the type of curved dimension ................................................................................... Setting the dimension format.......................................................................................................... Placing dimensions ........................................................................................................................ Place ........................................................................................................................................ Preferred dim side .......................................................................................................................... Aligning sloped dimension text....................................................................................................... Adjusting dimension appearance ................................................................................................... Text options ............................................................................................................................. Line, Arrow options .................................................................................................................. Creating exaggerated dimensions ........................................................................................... Changing the appearance of absolute dimensions .................................................................. Adjusting dimension mark settings................................................................................................. Adjusting dimension mark contents ......................................................................................... Creating dimension tags .......................................................................................................... Creating plate side marks manually ........................................................................................ Setting Advanced dimension options ............................................................................................. Creating plate side marks automatically .................................................................................. Dimensioning properties ................................................................................................................ General dimensioning properties ................................................................................................... Part dimensioning properties.......................................................................................................... Bolt dimensioning properties .......................................................................................................... Position dimensioning properties ................................................................................................... Dimension grouping properties ......................................................................................................
173 173 174 175 177 183 183 184 185 186 188 196 199 200 200 201 202 202 204 205 206 207 207 208 209 209 210 211 211 211 213 213 215 216 216 217 218 219 220
TEKLA STRUCTURES 15
Sub-assemblies.............................................................................................................................. Reinforcement dimensioning properties......................................................................................... General arrangement drawing dimensioning properties ................................................................ Dimension properties .................................................................................................................... Dimensioning > Add Horizontal Dimension.................................................................................... Dimensioning > Add Vertical Dimension ....................................................................................... Dimensioning > Add Orthogonal Dimension .................................................................................. Dimensioning > Add Parallel Dimension........................................................................................ Dimensioning > Add Perpendicular Dimension.............................................................................. Dimensioning > Add Free Dimension ............................................................................................ Dimensioning > Add Curved Dimension > With Orthogonal Reference Lines ............................... Dimensioning > Add Curved Dimension > With Radial Reference Lines....................................... Dimensioning > Add Radial Dimension ......................................................................................... Dimensioning > Add Angular Dimension ....................................................................................... Dimensioning > Add Dimensions for all Parts................................................................................ Dimensioning > Edit Dimensions > Combine Dimension Lines ..................................................... Dimensioning > Edit Dimensions > Link Dimension Lines ............................................................. Dimensioning > Edit Dimensions > Unlink Dimension Lines.......................................................... Dimensioning > Edit Dimensions > Add/Remove Dimension Point ............................................... Dimensioning > Edit Dimensions > Set Dimension Start Point ..................................................... Dimensioning > Review Dimensions > Check Dimension Point Validity........................................ Dimensioning > Review Dimensions > Remove Dimension Point Invalidity Symbol ..................... Dimensioning > Review Dimensions > Remove Dimension Change Symbol................................ Dimensioning > GA Dimensioning Settings... ................................................................................ Combining options ......................................................................................................................... Use options ....................................................................................................................................
221 221 221 222 223 224 224 224 224 224 225 225 226 226 227 227 228 228 228 229 229 229 230 230 231 233
TEKLA STRUCTURES 15
Defining front view for columns ................................................................................................ Defining concrete part orientation ............................................................................................ Defining plate orientation ......................................................................................................... Unfolding in single-part drawings ................................................................................................... Shortening parts in drawings ......................................................................................................... Displaying view names automatically in drawings.......................................................................... Displaying deformed parts in drawings .......................................................................................... Part deformations .................................................................................................................... Displaying part openings and recesses in drawings ...................................................................... 5.3 Adding section views to drawings .................................................................................................. Section view properties .................................................................................................................. Section view direction..................................................................................................................... View direction marks ................................................................................................................ Section view label and mark........................................................................................................... Section mark ............................................................................................................................ Section view label .................................................................................................................... Aligning section views with main views .......................................................................................... 5.4 5.5
250 250 251 253 254 255 256 256 256 259 259 260 261 262 262 265 267
Detail properties.................................................................................................................................. 267 Part and neighbor part properties ....................................................................................................... 269 Part representation......................................................................................................................... Adjusting the part center line type .................................................................................................. Orientation marks ........................................................................................................................... Mark location ........................................................................................................................... Compass direction ................................................................................................................... Orientation symbol ................................................................................................................... Connecting side marks ............................................................................................................ Orientation marks in single-part views ..................................................................................... Setting up orientation marking........................................................................................................ 269 273 274 274 275 275 276 277 277 278 280 281 282 283 284 284 286
5.6
Bolt and weld properties...................................................................................................................... 278 Bolts ............................................................................................................................................... User-defined bolt symbols.............................................................................................................. Welds ............................................................................................................................................. Merging weld symbols....................................................................................................................
5.7
Reinforcement properties.................................................................................................................... 282 Setting the visibility of reinforcement in drawings........................................................................... Adjusting reinforcing bars ........................................................................................................ Hiding reinforcing bar lines ...................................................................................................... Reinforcement appearance ............................................................................................................
5.8
Surface treatment properties............................................................................................................... 288 Content and appearance of surface treatment............................................................................... 288
10
TEKLA STRUCTURES 15
Hatch patterns for surface treatment ............................................................................................. 290 5.9 Marks in drawings............................................................................................................................... 291 Mark properties .............................................................................................................................. Mark content .................................................................................................................................. Common elements in marks .................................................................................................... Part mark elements ................................................................................................................. Bolt mark elements .................................................................................................................. Connection mark elements ...................................................................................................... Reinforcement mark elements ................................................................................................. Surface treatment mark elements ........................................................................................... Section and detail mark and label elements ............................................................................ Adding templates in marks ...................................................................................................... Mark appearance ........................................................................................................................... Visibility ................................................................................................................................... Frame around mark ................................................................................................................. Mark location.................................................................................................................................. Part mark leader line ............................................................................................................... Reinforcement mark leader line ............................................................................................... Placing reinforcing bar mark leader line base point automatically ........................................... Reinforcement pull-outs ................................................................................................................. Reinforcement settings for drawings.............................................................................................. Bolt marks and size elements ........................................................................................................ Adding user-defined attributes in marks......................................................................................... Control numbers in marks ....................................................................................................... Part number format in marks ................................................................................................... Weld marks in drawings ................................................................................................................. Level marks in drawings................................................................................................................. Merging part marks ........................................................................................................................ Automatically merging reinforcement marks .................................................................................. Merging within a cast unit ........................................................................................................ Preferred merge direction ........................................................................................................ Merged mark content .............................................................................................................. Manually merging and splitting reinforcement marks..................................................................... Grid properties ............................................................................................................................... Editing grids and grid lines ............................................................................................................. Specifying a fixed size for a grid label frame ........................................................................... Adjusting the thickness of the grid label frame ........................................................................ 292 293 293 294 295 295 296 297 297 298 298 299 300 301 301 302 304 304 305 310 311 312 312 312 315 316 317 317 318 318 320 320 322 323 323
5.12 The Drawing Classifier........................................................................................................................ 324 How the Drawing Classifier works.................................................................................................. 325 Using the Drawing Classifier .......................................................................................................... 326
TEKLA STRUCTURES 15
11
Creating drawing property files ................................................................................................ Creating view filters ................................................................................................................. Creating drawing object property files ..................................................................................... Creating drawings .................................................................................................................... Troubleshooting.............................................................................................................................. Drawing view properties... ............................................................................................................. Section view properties... .............................................................................................................. Part mark properties... ................................................................................................................... Bolt mark properties... ................................................................................................................... Connection mark properties... ....................................................................................................... Reinforcement mark properties... .................................................................................................. Surface treatment mark properties................................................................................................. Properties modification...................................................................................................................
328 328 329 329 329 330 332 334 335 336 337 338 339
Additional marks.................................................................................................................................. 350 Symbols in drawings ........................................................................................................................... 351 Adding symbols in drawings........................................................................................................... 351 Symbol types.................................................................................................................................. 352 Symbol properties .......................................................................................................................... 352
6.4
Adding text and links to drawings........................................................................................................ 353 Text files in drawings...................................................................................................................... Adding text files ....................................................................................................................... Editing text files ........................................................................................................................ Links in drawings............................................................................................................................ Adding hyperlinks .................................................................................................................... Adding links between drawings ............................................................................................... Modifying link properties .......................................................................................................... 354 355 355 355 356 356 356
12
TEKLA STRUCTURES 15
Scaling text files and links .............................................................................................................. 356 Associative notes in drawings ........................................................................................................ 357 6.5 Hatching in drawings .......................................................................................................................... 358 Modifying fill/hatch types ................................................................................................................ 358 Schema files................................................................................................................................... 360 Editing hatching properties............................................................................................................. 362 6.6 DWG and DXF files in drawings ......................................................................................................... 362 Adding DWG or DXF files to drawings ........................................................................................... 362 DWG/DXF file properties................................................................................................................ 363 6.7 Edge chamfers in drawings ................................................................................................................ 364 Displaying edge chamfers.............................................................................................................. Changing edge chamfer line color and type manually ................................................................... Defining default line color and type for edge chamfers .................................................................. Creating chamfer marks as associative notes ............................................................................... 6.8 6.9 364 367 368 368
Displaying reference models in drawings ........................................................................................... 369 Working with drawing objects ............................................................................................................. 370 User coordinate system (UCS) ...................................................................................................... UCS Symbol ............................................................................................................................ Defining the UCS ........................................................................................................................... Setting the UCS ....................................................................................................................... Setting the UCS (with x axis direction) .................................................................................... Creating dimensions in the current coordinate system ............................................................ Numeric snap ................................................................................................................................. Positioning drawing objects............................................................................................................ Using coordinates .................................................................................................................... Arranging drawing objects ....................................................................................................... Using cover-up tools ...................................................................................................................... Dragging, reshaping, and resizing drawing objects ....................................................................... Copying and moving drawing objects ............................................................................................ Hiding and showing objects in drawings and drawing views.......................................................... Adding views to drawings............................................................................................................... Placing drawing views.................................................................................................................... Aligning drawing views................................................................................................................... Moving drawing views .................................................................................................................... Rotating drawing views .................................................................................................................. Resizing drawing views.................................................................................................................. Resizing drawing view boundaries .......................................................................................... Copying and linking drawing views ................................................................................................ 3D views in cast-unit, assembly and single-part drawings............................................................. Placing drawing views after updating or cloning a drawing............................................................ 370 370 371 372 372 372 373 373 373 374 374 375 376 377 379 379 380 380 380 381 381 382 383 383
TEKLA STRUCTURES 15
13
6.11 Editing drawings reference.................................................................................................................. 383 Draw Line ....................................................................................................................................... Draw Rectangle.............................................................................................................................. Draw Circle > By Center and Radius.............................................................................................. Draw Circle > By Three Points ....................................................................................................... Draw Arc > By Endpoints and Center............................................................................................. Draw Arc > By Three Points ........................................................................................................... Draw Polyline ................................................................................................................................. Draw Polygon ................................................................................................................................. Draw Cloud..................................................................................................................................... Add Text > Text .............................................................................................................................. Add Text > Text with Leader Line................................................................................................... Add Text > Text along Line ............................................................................................................ Add Text > Along Line, Arrow at End Point .................................................................................... Add Text > Along Line, Arrow at Start Point................................................................................... Add Part Marks............................................................................................................................... Add Weld Mark............................................................................................................................... Add Level Mark .............................................................................................................................. Add Revision Mark ......................................................................................................................... Edit > Copy > Rotate... ................................................................................................................... Edit > Copy > Mirror... .................................................................................................................... Edit > Move > Rotate...................................................................................................................... Edit > Move > Mirror....................................................................................................................... Trim ............................................................................................................................................... Split ............................................................................................................................................... Divide ............................................................................................................................................. 384 384 385 386 386 387 388 389 389 390 391 392 392 393 393 394 394 396 396 397 397 398 398 399 400
14
TEKLA STRUCTURES 15
7.2
Printing drawings ................................................................................................................................ 412 Drawing frames and foldmarks ...................................................................................................... Drawing frames ...................................................................................................................... DWG/DXF file as a frame ........................................................................................................ Printing single drawings ................................................................................................................. Printing on multiple sheets ...................................................................................................... Printing multiple drawings .............................................................................................................. Printing options .............................................................................................................................. 413 413 414 414 414 415 416 418 419 419 419 419
7.3
Printing drawings to file....................................................................................................................... 417 Adding a print-to-file device to the printer catalog.......................................................................... Printing to file ................................................................................................................................. Filenames ................................................................................................................................ Printing to file (specific folder) ........................................................................................................ Switches for naming printfiles ........................................................................................................
7.4
Creating a PDF file ............................................................................................................................. 421 Add Adobe Printer driver to the printer catalog .............................................................................. 421 Creating PDF files .......................................................................................................................... 422 Filenames ................................................................................................................................ 422
7.5
The printer catalog.............................................................................................................................. 422 Setting up a print device................................................................................................................. Adding a print device...................................................................................................................... Selecting paper size....................................................................................................................... Print area h*b ................................................................................................................................. Color............................................................................................................................................... Color table...................................................................................................................................... Pen number ............................................................................................................................. Modifying a print device ................................................................................................................. Deleting a print device.................................................................................................................... 422 423 424 424 425 425 426 426 426
TEKLA STRUCTURES 15
15
16
TEKLA STRUCTURES 15
Preface
Tekla Structures includes complete documentation in an accessible help system. Our online help is a detailed guide to Tekla Structures concepts, tools, commands, and features, with plenty of examples. The documentation is also available in PDF format. Topics in the Preface are:
Audience (p. 17) Additional help resources (p. 17) Conventions used in this guide (p. 18) Related guides (p. 19)
Audience
This guide is aimed at structural engineers, detailers and designers who model, analyze, and design concrete and steel structures. We assume that you are familiar with the processes of structural engineering.
TEKLA STRUCTURES 15
17
Area office France Germany India Japan Malaysia Middle East Sweden UK US
E-mail address TeklaStructures.Support.FR@Tekla.com TeklaStructures.Support.GER@Tekla.com TeklaStructures.Support.IN@Tekla.com TeklaStructures.Support.JPN@Tekla.com TeklaStructures.Support.MY@Tekla.com TeklaStructures.Support.ME@Tekla.com TeklaStructures.Support.SWE@Tekla.com TeklaStructures.Support.UK@Tekla.com TeklaStructures.Support.US@Tekla.com
If you believe you have discovered a problem with this software, please report it to your Tekla Structures Reseller using the maintenance request form provided at Help > Tekla on the Web > Maintenance request.... Please send any comments or suggestions about Tekla Structures documentation to BetC_Documentation@tekla.com.
Tekla Extranet
Anyone with a current maintenance contract can use Tekla Extranet. Register now to get free access to our online discussion forums, hints & tips, software downloads, tutorials, and more. To register, go to https://extranet.tekla.com. You can also access Tekla Extranet from Tekla Structures by clicking Help > Online Support > Tekla Extranet.
We use different typefaces for different items in this guide. In most cases the meaning is obvious from the context. If you are not sure what a certain typeface represents, you can check it here.
Convention Bold
Usage Bold indicates the names of keyboard keys. Bold is also used for general emphasis in text. Any text that you see in the user interface appears in Arial bold. Items such as window and dialog box titles, field and button names, combo box options, and list box items are displayed in this typeface. New terms are in italic bold when they appear in the current context for the first time. Extracts of Tekla Structuress program code, HTML, or other material that you would normally edit in a text editor, appears in monospaced font. Filenames and folder paths appear in monospace. Also all the text you enter yourself appears in monospaced font.
Arial bold
Noteboxes
We use several types of noteboxes, marked by different icons. Their functions are shown below:
18
TEKLA STRUCTURES 15
A tip might introduce a shortcut, or suggest alternative ways of doing things. A tip never contains information that is absolutely necessary.
A note draws attention to details that you might easily overlook. It can also point you to other information in this guide that you might find useful.
You should always read very important notes and warnings, like this one. They will help you avoid making serious mistakes, or wasting your time.
This symbol indicates advanced or highly technical information that is usually of interest only to advanced or technically-oriented readers. You are never required to understand this kind of information.
Related guides
Tekla Structures includes a comprehensive help system in a series of online books. You will also receive a printed installation guide with your Tekla Structures installation DVD.
Modeling Manual How to create a physical model. Analysis Manual How to create loads and run structural analysis. Detailing Manual How to create reinforcement, connections, and details. Drawing Manual How to create and edit drawings. System Manual Covers advanced features and how to maintain the Tekla Structures environment. Task Manager User Guide How to create, store, and manage scheduled tasks, and link the tasks to their corresponding model objects. This guide is available in English on the Tekla Extranet.
TEKLA STRUCTURES 15
19
SymEd Users Guide How to use the SymEd graphical interface to manipulate symbols. Installation Troubleshooting Guide Printed booklet explaining how to install Tekla Structures.
20
TEKLA STRUCTURES 15
Introduction to Drawings
Introduction
This chapter provides an overview of the Tekla Structures Drawing Editor interface, and introduces its basic features. It also explains the different types of drawings you can create, and the various levels of editing drawings. This chapter has been written for beginners who already know the basics of modeling with Tekla Structures. This is the best chapter to start with to gain a basic understanding of Tekla Structures drawings. This chapter is divided into the following sections:
Basics (p. 21) Screen layout (p. 23) Toolbars (p. 25) Using commands (p. 28) Drawing types (p. 32) Three levels of editing drawings (p. 37) Colors in drawings (p. 37)
1.1 Basics
Some of the drawing commands are located in the Model Editor and some in the Drawing Editor.
Creating and managing
You will find all the commands for creating and managing drawings in the Model Editor. To create different types of drawings with a single command, you can use AutoDrawing wizards. If you want to create one type of drawing at a time, use the commands on the Drawings & Reports menu. See also Drawing types (p. 32) and Creating drawings (p. 48). To view and manage all existing drawings, click Drawings & Reports > Drawing List... to open the drawing list. See also Drawing List contents and markings (p. 42).
To view or edit a drawing, use the Drawing Editor. For more information, see Opening drawings (p. 41).
21
See also
Drawings integrated into the model (p. 22) Capabilities (p. 22)
Capabilities
You can create several types of output, from general arrangement drawings to material reports. All the information comes directly from the model, which minimizes the work you have to do. In most cases all you have to do is check the predefined settings or do some minor editing. The following table describes some of the main features of Tekla Structures drawings and reports:
Description Automatically create single-part, assembly, and cast unit drawings, using predefined settings for layout, dimensions, marks, etc. Create drawings of selected parts with a single command. Automatically create general arrangement drawings and anchor bolt plans of a named view.
See also Creating single-part or assembly drawings (p. 70) Creating cast unit drawings (p. 71) Creating general arrangement drawings (p. 72) Creating anchor bolt plans (p. 73)
Automatic general arrangement drawings an anchor bolt plans Master Drawing Catalog
A fast, efficient and more controlled way of creating drawings is to use master drawings. In Master Drawing Catalog, all drawing creation commands are available in one centralized location. You can create drawings using saved drawing property files, rule sets (wizards) and cloning templates. An efficient way of creating drawings is to use drawing wizards and rule sets. They automatically produce different types of drawings of different parts, such as beams, columns, and braces.
Master Drawing Catalog (p. 49) Using AutoDrawings to create drawings (p. 80)
22
Description The drawings are actually part of the model. If you revise the model, Tekla Structures also updates the associated drawings, so they are always up to date. Tekla Structures creates reports directly from the model, so the information is always accurate. You can generate a wide variety of reports at any time during a project, including pre-bill of material lists at quotation stage, cut lists, bolt lists, and weld lists. Tekla Structures recognizes the changes in the model and automatically adjusts the relevant drawings and material lists. You can save time by cloning complex drawing styles.
Reports
Revision control
Cloning
Master Drawing Catalog (p. 49) Cloning through Drawing List (p. 82)
The Drawing Editor includes interactive editing tools for adding dimensions, various shapes, text, associative notes, additional marks, symbols, and links in the drawings. Tekla Structures includes many readyto-use standard reports and drawings. You can also create your own templates.
Manual dimensioning (p. 133) Editing Drawings (p. 341) See the Template Editor Users Guide
23
Commands for creating dimensions and objects. Select switches determine selectable objects.
24
Snap settings control which points you can snap to and pick. Drawing tools include the basic tools for working with drawings.
Switches Select switches and Snap settings are special toolbars containing switches which you can
use to control which objects can be selected, and how Tekla Structures snaps to points.
Use select switches to limit which object types can be selected. For example, if only the Select marks switch is active, Tekla Structures only selects marks, even if you select the entire drawing area.
You need to activate snap switches to be able to pick different positions and points such as line ends and intersections.
To snap to and pick points in the Drawing Editor you use similar techniques to those in the Model Editor.
See also
Toolbars (p. 25) Selecting objects in drawings (p. 29) Snapping to positions
1.3 Toolbars
The toolbars contain icons giving easy access to some of the most frequently-used commands.
Using icons
See also
A single-click initiates the command. A double-click displays the properties dialog box of that object type, and initiates the command.
Managing toolbars Customizing the interface Basic toolbars (p. 25) Numeric snap (p. 373)
Basic toolbars
Drawing Tools
The Drawing Tools toolbar contains basic tools for working with drawings.
25
Drawing Objects
Open drawing list Open previous drawing Open next drawing Save drawing and model Undo Redo Print drawings Create view from model view Create view from model by area Create view from drawing view Create section view Create curved section view Create detail view Arrange drawing views Copy Move Zoom in Zoom out Zoom original Inquire object Open model folder Open named model views list Show macros Customize
The Drawing Objects toolbar contains dimensioning commands, commands for adding text, symbols and additional drawing objects, and commands for removing change symbols and dimension point invalidity symbols.
26
TEKLA STRUCTURES 15 Introduction to Drawings
Add horizontal dimension Add vertical dimension Add orthogonal dimension Add free dimension Add parallel dimension
Snap settings
Add perpendicular dimension Add curved dimension with radial reference lines Add curved dimension with orthogonal reference lines Add angular dimension Add/remove dimension point Remove dimension points Combine dimension lines Link dimension lines Unlink dimension lines Add part marks for selected parts Create text with leader line Create text Create text along line Create text along line, arrow at start point Create associative note with leader line Create associative note without leader line Create associative note along line Create symbol Create level mark Create weld symbol Draw a line Draw a rectangle Draw a circle Draw an arc by 3 points Draw a polyline Draw a polygon Draw a cloud Remove all dimension point invalidity symbols Remove all dimension point change symbols Remove all mark change symbols Remove all associative note change symbols
The Snap settings toolbar contains commands for picking different positions and points.
Snap to points and grid intersections Snap to end points Snap to center points Snap to mid points Snap to intersection points Snap to perpendicular points
27
Select
Snap to nearest points Snap to reference and geometry lines of drawing objects Snap to any position Snap to reference lines/points Snap to geometry lines/points Select if you want to snap to positions in 3D space or on view plane Select if you want to snap to positions on the view plane or on the work plane
Select all Select drawing lines Select drawing texts Select drawing marks Select drawing parts Select drawing section symbols Select drawing welds Select drawing views Select drawing dimensions Select drawing single dimension Select grid Select grid line Select details
Executing commands (p. 28) Selecting objects in drawings (p. 29) Creating objects (p. 30) Modifying objects (p. 31) Copying and moving drawing objects (p. 376) Using commands simultaneously (p. 31) Ending commands (p. 31)
Executing commands
There are several ways to execute commands in Tekla Structures.
28
TEKLA STRUCTURES 15 Introduction to Drawings
Icon
Pull-down menu
Single-click an icon just to execute the command. Double-click an icon to display the properties of the object type, and to execute the command.
You can execute commands using pull-down menus. Tekla Structures Drawing Editor contains the following menus:
Pop-up menu
With the commands in the Drawing File menu you can open, save, print, and export drawings, set drawing properties and access model folder and reference models. The Edit menu contains basic editing commands, such as move, copy, delete, interrupt, undo, redo and repeat the last command. It also allows you to access the selection filters, trim lines, split and divide objects, and adjust reinforcing bars. With the commands in the View menu you can create and adjust drawing views, arrange drawing objects, hide, show, zoom, move, and update views, and modify view properties. It also allows you to access model views. The Dimensioning menu contains all dimensioning commands. With the commands in the Annotating menu you can add all kinds of marks, text, associative notes, links, and symbols, and remove change symbols. The Shapes menu contains commands for drawing different kinds of shapes and adding patches. The Tools menu contains commands that support your work allowing you to modify what is displayed on the user interface and how Tekla Structures works. This menu contains several on/off switches for certain features. With the commands in the Windows menu you can adjust how windows are displayed on the screen, and open another window. The Help menu allows you to access the online help, other support material, Tekla web pages and Extranet, and contact Tekla for support.
A pop-up menu appears when you click the right mouse button. If you have an object selected, the commands on the pop-up menu relate to that object.
If you switch on the Select on Right Click command in the Tools > Options, you do not have to click the object first to display the related pop-up menu with a right-click.
Selection filter settings affect which objects you can select. To create a selection filter and use it in the drawing: 1. 2. 3. 4. Click Edit > Selection Filter to open the Selection filter dialog box. Find a filter which has close to the same settings as you need. Modify the settings, then enter a new name in the Save as box. Click Save as, then Apply. You can now select objects in your drawing according to the selection filter you specified.
29
Select switches
Select switches control which object types can be selected. The select switches in the Drawing Editor work in the same way as the ones in the Model Editor, but the actual switches differ. The following select switches are available in the Drawing Editor:
Icon
Description Turns all switches on. You can select all object types, except for single bolts. You can select additional drawing objects, i.e. lines, arcs, circles, rectangles, polylines, and polygons. You can select any text in drawings. You can select part, bolt, and connection marks. You can select parts in drawings, i.e. columns, beams, plates, etc. You can select section symbols. You can select welds. You can select drawing views. You can select an entire group of dimensions by selecting one dimension in the group. You can select single dimensions. You can select grids. You can select single grid lines. You can select details.
Text Marks Drawing parts Section symbols Welds Views Dimensions Single dimensions Grids Single grid lines Details
Selecting objects
Creating objects
To create an object, or multiple objects:
Example
Open the properties dialog box for the object and define the object properties. Place the object(s) in the model.
You can carry out the above steps in any order. To create objects:
30
1. 2. 3. 4.
Example
Double-click the icon of the object you want to create. Tekla Structures displays the properties dialog box. Enter or modify the object properties. Click Apply or OK. Pick points to place the object(s). Click an icon, or a menu command. Pick points to place the object(s). Tekla Structures creates the object using the current properties for the object. See also Modifying objects (p. 31).
To create several objects with the same properties, pick multiple points. The drawing object commands in Tekla Structures run until you end them or use another command. See also Ending commands (p. 31).
Modifying objects
To modify the properties of an object, or multiple objects:
Example
Select the object(s) to modify. Open the properties dialog box and modify the object properties.
You can carry out the above steps in any order. To modify objects: 1. 2. 3. 4. Double-click one of the objects you want to modify to open the object properties dialog box. Modify the properties. Select the remaining object(s) to modify. Click Modify.
For information on how to resize and move objects, see Dragging, reshaping, and resizing drawing objects (p. 375) and Copying and moving drawing objects (p. 376).
You can use some Tekla Structures commands transparently. This means that you can execute these commands while another command is still running. For example, the zooming commands are transparent.
Ending commands
To cancel or end commands, do one of the following:
Right-click and select Interrupt from the pop-up menu. Press the Esc key. On the Edit menu, click Interrupt.
31
Single-part drawing (p. 32) Assembly drawing (p. 32) Cast unit drawing (p. 35) General arrangement drawing (p. 35) Multidrawing (p. 36)
Single-part drawing
Single-part drawings are workshop drawings which show the fabrication information for one part (usually without welds). Single-part drawing usually use small sheet sizes, for example A4 or imperial standard size 8.5" x 11.5".
See also
Master Drawing Catalog (p. 49) Creating single-part or assembly drawings (p. 70)
Assembly drawing
Assembly drawings are typically workshop drawings showing fabrication information for one assembly. In most cases, an assembly consists of single parts that are either bolted or welded to a main part. Assembly drawings usually use larger sheet sizes than single-part drawings, for example A3 or imperial standard size 11" x 17".
32
Assembly drawing of a nested assembly, a whole truss Assembly drawing of a sub-assembly, a part of the same truss
33
Assembly drawing of a nested assembly Assembly drawing of one of the sub-assemblies in that nested assembly You can define the visibility, content, and appearance of the marks of nested assemblies in assembly drawings. You can also select whether to show the part marks for sub-assembly parts.
See also
Master Drawing Catalog (p. 49) Creating single-part or assembly drawings (p. 70)
34
See also
Master Drawing Catalog (p. 49) Creating cast unit drawings (p. 71)
Several views on one drawing, including the entire model or a part of it Erection, marking, or anchor bolt plans Information from model views, including 3D views
35
See also
Master Drawing Catalog (p. 49) See also Creating general arrangement drawings (p. 72).
Multidrawing
Multidrawings are workshop drawings which gather together several single-part or assembly drawings on one sheet. Create multidrawings when you want to:
Have more than one assembly on a sheet Collect multiple single-part drawings on a large sheet
Multidrawings usually demand large sheet sizes such as A1 or imperial standard size 24" x 36".
36
On the highest level, you can change the drawing properties, which changes all the objects in the drawing. You can change the drawing properties for more than one drawing using the Drawing List and drawing properties dialog boxes. You can also change the properties of the currently open drawing in the Drawing Editor. When you save the drawing property settings in property files, you can also use these property files when you are creating drawings through Master Drawing Catalog.
Whenever possible, modify drawings by changing the drawing properties. These modifications also remain when the drawing is recreated due to a model change, for example. The second level is to edit on the view level, where you modify selected drawing views. You can change the drawing view properties in the Model Editor before you create drawings, or by modifying existing views of the currently open drawing in the Drawing Editor. The third and lowest level is to edit on the object level, where you change individual objects in a drawing. Use the Drawing Editor commands to modify the objects. Editing Drawings (p. 341) Drawing view properties (p. 241) Drawing Properties (p. 235) Master Drawing Catalog (p. 49)
View properties
37
Example
Description White background, black lines. By default, drawings are black and white, and when you open a drawing, it is displayed black and white. To use this color mode, select the Black and White option in Tools > Options > Drawing Color Mode. Tekla Structures shows different line thicknesses defined for different colors in Drawing File > Print information on black and white printing, see Color (p. 425).
Drawings > Add/Edit > Printer Catalog... > Color Table. For more
In grayscale mode, the colors from one to seven (black, red, green, blue, cyan, yellow, magenta) are shown in black, and the colors from eight to 14 (brown, dark green, dark blue, bluegreen, orange, gray) are shown in different shades of gray.
38
Example
Description White background, colored lines. To use this color mode, select the Color option in Tools > Options > Drawing Color Mode. The Color color mode does not show different line thicknesses by default. If you have changed the line thicknesses for different colors in
File > Print Drawings > Add/Edit > Printer Catalog... > Color Table, and switch the option Tools > Options > Use Printer Linewidths
Black background, colored lines. If you want to have black background and colored lines, set the variable XS_BLACK_DRAWING_BACK GROUND to TRUE in Tools >
Options > Advanced Options... > Drawing View.
You can define different line colors for different objects in each objects properties. See also Drawing Properties (p. 235).
Drawing classifier may also affect the line color of objects. For more information on drawing classifier, see The Drawing Classifier (p. 324).
Pen 9 7 1 3
39
Name Blue Cyan Yellow Magenta Brown Dark green Dark blue Blue-green Orange Gray Special
Gray scale Lightness 0% 0% 0% 0% 30% 50% 70% 90% 100% white 60% -
40
Introduction
This chapter explains how to create drawings and work with them in Tekla Structures. If you are new to Tekla Structures, we recommend that you read Introduction to Drawings (p. 21) first, to gain a basic understanding of Tekla Structures drawings. This chapter is divided into the following sections:
Opening drawings (p. 41) Drawing List contents and markings (p. 42) Creating drawings (p. 48) Working with drawings (p. 90) Saving and closing drawings (p. 98) Drawing reference (p. 98)
1. 2. 3.
Click Drawings & Reports > Drawing List... (Ctrl + L) or icon on the General toolbar . Select a drawing from the list in the Drawing List dialog box. Click Open, or double-click the drawing to open it. Click Drawing File > Open... (Ctrl + O) or icon on the Drawing Tools toolbar . Select a drawing from the list and click Open, or double-click the drawing to open it. If you want to open the previous drawing on the list, click Drawing File > Open Previous or use shortcut Ctrl + Page Up. If you want to open the next drawing on the list, click Drawing File > Open Next or use shortcut Ctrl + Page Down.
1. 2. 3.
41
If you want to select all the visible drawings on the drawing list, use the shortcut Ctrl + A when the drawing list is selected, or right-click the list and select Select All from the pop-up menu.
See also
Drawing List contents and markings (p. 42) Drawing List fields and buttons (p. 44) Drawing status flags (p. 46)
Column
Flags Dates Revision Size
Description Flags are graphical symbols at the beginning of each row. They indicate the drawing status. The creation and modification dates of the drawing. The revision number or mark of the drawing. The paper size the drawing uses.
42
Column
Type
W for single-part drawings. A for assembly drawings. C for cast-unit drawings. G for general arrangement drawings. M for multi-drawings.
If a U (unknown) drawing appears in the drawing list, delete it, then recreate it. You can also check the database. See Checking multi-user databases.
Mark
The drawing mark is the number of the part from which the drawing was created. You cannot change drawing marks. You can choose to have Tekla Structures base the mark of cast unit drawings on the position number or the ID of the cast unit.
You can add a drawing title using the Name field in the drawing properties dialog box. Extra drawing titles added in the drawing properties dialog box. Include up to 20 user-defined attributes in drawing lists. To include a user-defined attribute in drawing lists, the userdefined attribute must have variable special_flag set to yes in the objects.inp file.
You can choose whether Tekla Structures shows either revision numbers or revision marks on the Drawing List. By default, it shows revision numbers. To see revision marks instead, set the variable XS_SHOW_REVISION_MARK_ON_DRAWING_LIST=TRUE.
See also
Opening drawings (p. 41) Drawing List fields and buttons (p. 44) Drawing status flags (p. 46) Drawing revisions (p. 95) Drawing size (p. 126) Common drawing properties (p. 236) User-defined attributes in drawings (p. 237) Creating cast unit drawings (p. 71) Drawing types (p. 32)
43
The following table explains what the fields and buttons on the top of the Drawing List dialog box do.
Field/Button
Enter search criteria
Description Use the Enter search criteria field to find drawings. You can make text-based searches by entering the desired criteria in the field. You can limit the searches based on different columns by entering the name of the column in the Search in field. Select the Search within the currently visible drawings option to limit the search to the currently visible drawings. Click the Store button to save the searches you have made. The Store button opens Store Search Result dialog box.
Search in
Enter a name for the search result in Store Search The searches are saved in the DrawingListSearches, which is created in the model folder. You can move the saved searches to your environment, company or project folder. After you have saved the search, it will be visible in the predefined drawing sets.
To display drawings from various predefined sets, select an option from the or select drawing set dropdown list. For example, if you wish to see general arrangement drawings only, select "GA drawings" from the or select drawing set dropdown list.
44
The following table explains what the buttons on the right-hand side of the Drawing List dialog box do.
Button
Filter Show all Filter Invert Filter Selected Filter Up to date Model Select objects
Description Lists all existing drawings. Inverts the contents of the current list. Lists selected drawings. Lists only up-to-date drawings. To see a list of drawings that need updating, click the Invert button after using this button. When you select a drawing and then click Select objects, Tekla Structures selects and highlights the corresponding part(s) or assemblies/cast units in the model. Only lists the drawings associated with the parts you have selected in the model. Use this button to identify the drawings associated with a specific part. This works only in visible search result. Prevents the selected drawings from being opened, modified, or deleted. Tekla Structures still displays the update flag for locked drawings. Unlocks the selected drawings and allows you to open, modify, and deleted them. Freezes the selected drawings so that only parts are updated in the drawings. Views or associative objects are not updated in frozen drawings. Unfreezes the selected drawings so that also associative objects, such as dimensions and marks, are updated in the drawings.
Model By parts
Lock On
Freeze Off
45
Button
Issue On Issue Off Revision... Buttons on bottom
Description Flags the selected drawings as issued Allows you to define drawing revisions. .
The following table explains what the buttons on the bottom of the Drawing List dialog box do.
Button
Open
Description Updates the selected drawing and then opens it in the Drawing Editor. You can only select one drawing from the list at a time. If the Open button is grayed, you have more than one drawing selected. You can also double-click a drawing on the list to open it.
Update
Updates selected drawings. A drawing marked with an update flag must be updated before using it. Locked drawings are not updated.
Clones the selected drawing for a similar part. Does not update the source drawing. Deletes selected drawings. You cannot delete locked drawings. Closes the dialog box.
Drawing List contents and markings (p. 42) Opening drawings (p. 41) Updating drawings when the model changes (p. 93) Cloning single-part, cast-unit and assembly drawings (p. 82) Locking and freezing drawings (p. 91) Locking and freezing drawings (p. 91) Issuing drawings (p. 95) Drawing revisions (p. 95) Drawing status flags (p. 46)
46
Sym bol
Column
Up to date
Description The parts in the drawing have changed, for example parts have been added or deleted, or part properties have changed. The actual drawing is up to date, but the number of identical parts has changed. The part from which the drawing was originally created has been deleted. All the parts related to the drawing have been deleted. The drawing is locked. The drawing is frozen. The drawing has been added as a master drawing in the Master Drawing Catalog.
More information Updating drawings when the model changes (p. 93)
Up to date
Up to date
Up to date
Linked drawing changed Original parts deleted, others exist Copied view changed Drawing updated
Up to date
A drawing, whose original parts have been deleted, has been updated, and there are still other parts relevant to the drawing in the model. A copied drawing has been modified. A frozen drawing has been updated.
47
Sym bol
Column
Up to date
More information Cloning singlepart, cast-unit and assembly drawings (p. 82) Issuing drawings (p. 95)
Issue
The drawing has been issued. For example, you might reissue drawings that have been sent to site.
Issued drawing changed
Issue
See also
Drawing List contents and markings (p. 42) Drawing List fields and buttons (p. 44)
The predefined drawing properties and filters suit your needs, or should you modify them The details, dimensions, etc. in the model are correct.
Prior to creating or editing assembly, single-part, cast-unit, or multidrawings, you need to number the model. This ensures that Tekla Structures connects the right objects to the right drawings. If you try to create drawings without numbering the model, Tekla Structures prompts you to do so.
In this section See also
This section explains, in general terms, how to create different types of drawings. For more detailed instructions, follow the links in each topic. Before creating drawings (p. 48) Setting drawing properties and rule sets (p. 49) Master Drawing Catalog (p. 49) Using drawing-type-specific commands to create drawings (p. 69) Using AutoDrawings to create drawings (p. 80) Adding views to drawings (p. 379)
48
If you do not update the numbering, you are prompted to perform numbering when you create a drawing
2. 3.
Create test drawings of different types of parts to see how well the predefined drawing properties and layouts suit your needs. Modify drawing properties and layouts if necessary, and save them. Enter a name for the properties file and click Save as.
Tekla Structures creates drawings using the properties defined for each type of drawing. To view or modify drawing properties, select a drawing type from the Drawings & Reports > Drawing Settings menu in the Model Editor. You can change the drawing layout by selecting Drawings & Reports > Drawing Settings > Drawing Layout. You need to ensure that the drawing properties are set and the necessary drawing property files are created before creating drawings using the menu commands and toolbar commands, and before creating drawings on the basis of saved settings in the Master Drawing Catalog. When you are using the cloning templates in Master Drawing Catalog to create drawings, ensure that the settings of the drawing you are going to use as a template are correct, and that the drawing contains everything you want it to have. Open the drawing from the Drawing List and check the contents and properties. When you are using rule sets in Master Drawing Catalog, ensure that all settings and selections are correct in the rule sets in the Master Drawing Catalog .
The layout and drawing views in a drawing affect drawing size. For more information, see Drawing Layout (p. 113) and Drawing Properties (p. 235).
Master Drawing Catalog is a fast, efficient and controlled way of creating drawings. In Master Drawing Catalog, all drawing creation commands are available in one centralized
location.
A master drawing is a Tekla Structures drawing or a set of drawing properties that is used for creating new drawings that look the same as the master drawing. There are several types of master drawings:
Cloning templates: Cloning templates are Tekla Structures drawings that you have added to Master Drawing Catalog from the Drawing List. You can also use cloning templates from other models. Saved settings: By saved settings we mean drawing property files. There are several predefined property files, and you can also create your own in the drawing properties dialog box.
49
Rule sets: Sets of rules on how to create new drawings for different object types. By rule set we mean a combination of object groups (selection filters) and master drawing settings (cloning template, saved settings) that define which objects to include in the drawing, and which drawing settings to use. You can use the existing AutoDrawings wizard files or create your own rule sets.
The master drawing type you should use also depends on the type of the drawing that you want to create. In Master Drawing Catalog, you can create multidrawings only with the old AutoDrawings wizard files, and general arrangement drawings by using saved settings. The figure below shows the search view of the Master Drawing Catalog as a thumbnail list. The toolbar commands and view areas pointed out in the figure are shortly described .
50
Click this button to create drawing(s) of the object(s) you have selected in the model, on the basis of the master drawing you have selected from the catalog. Switch to search view. Switch to folder view. Display the master drawings in a detail list or thumbnail list. The thumbnail list shows the master drawings as thumbnails, which are smaller versions of the saved preview images, whereas the detail list shows textual information about the master drawings. You can display a preview image of the master drawing by selecting the master drawing, right-clicking and selecting Preview. If you double-click the master drawing, Tekla Structures displays the catalog properties of the drawing, Display the master drawing description at the bottom of the dialog box. Select the models from which you want to show master drawings. Define rule sets for creating drawings. Display Drawing List. Enter search conditions here and then click the Search button. Click the Store button to save your search results. Select the category of master drawings that you want to see in the catalog list. All shows all the master drawings you have in the models you have selected. List of master drawings. The character after the name of the master drawing indicates its type. When you point to a master drawing, Tekla Structures displays a tooltip that tells the master drawing category, the type of the drawing to be created, and the path and name of the model: The figure below shows the search view of the Master Drawing Catalog as a detail list. Here you can easily see the name of the drawing, the master drawing type, and the drawing type to be created.
51
The figure below shows an example of the folder view of the Master Drawing Catalog. In this view, you can organize your master drawings into folders you create. By doing so you can limit the number of drawings shown in the list and find the desired master drawings more easily. The toolbar commands are the same as in the search view.
52
See also
Saved settings (p. 54) Rule set (p. 54) Wizard file (p. 55) Cloning template (p. 56) Cloning (p. 56) Selecting the displayed master drawings (p. 65) Displaying master drawing descriptions (p. 65) Working with folders (p. 66) Using search in Master Drawing Catalog (p. 67)
53
Adding saved settings to Master Drawing Catalog (p. 57) Editing master drawing properties of saved settings (p. 57) Creating drawings using saved settings (p. 58) Adding a rule set to Master Drawing Catalog (p. 59) Editing master drawing properties of rule sets (p. 60) Editing master drawing properties and contents of wizard files (p. 61) Creating drawings using rule sets (p. 62) Adding a new cloning template to Master Drawing Catalog (p. 62) Editing master drawing properties of cloning templates (p. 63) Creating drawings using cloning templates (p. 64) Removing master drawings from the Master Drawing Catalog (p. 69) Creating and adding preview images (p. 65)
Saved settings
The Saved settings in Master Drawing Catalog are drawing property files that have been created and saved in the drawing properties dialog boxes for different drawing types. There are many predefined drawing property files and you can create new ones.
See also
Rule set
A typical rule set includes several sets of drawing requests containing drawing, attribute and part settings to apply to selected objects, as well as a selection filter. The order of sets is important, as Tekla Structures only creates one drawing for each object.
54
For example, a rule set creates an assembly drawing for an object that fulfills the selection filter criteria in one set. Tekla Structures will not create another assembly drawing for that object, even if it matches the criteria of the selection filter in later sets in the same rule set file.
See also
Wizard file
A wizard file consist of several sets of drawing requests containing drawing, attribute and part settings to apply to selected objects, as well as a selection filter. The order of sets is important, as Tekla Structures only creates one drawing for each object. Earlier wizard files could be edited through the AutoDrawings dialog box, but now your can edit them in Master Drawing Catalog. However, creating new wizard files is not possible in Master Drawing Catalog.
In Master Drawing Catalog, the only way to create multidrawings is to use the wizard files.
Wizard files consist of the following entries. Notice the use of parentheses.
set_drawing_type(assembly)
This line defines the type of drawing the wizard creates. The drawing type appears in parentheses. The options are:
55
Creates workshop multi-drawings workshop multi-drawings with layout assembly multi-drawings assembly multi-drawings with layout cast unit drawings
set_drawing_attributes(column)
This line tells Tekla Structures which drawing properties to use when creating the drawings. The name of the saved drawing properties appears in parentheses.
set_filter(column_filter)
This line tells Tekla Structures which selection filter to use to select the parts from which to create drawings. The filter name appears in parentheses.
create_drawings()
Tekla Structures starts creating the drawings. This line should always appear immediately after the lines set_drawing_type, set_drawing_attributes and set_filter.
Cloning template
Cloning templates are Tekla Structures drawings that are used as templates for creating new drawings. You can select a drawing from the Drawing List and add it to the Master Drawing Catalog. You can also use cloning templates from other models.
You cannot clone general arrangement drawings through Master Drawing Catalog. You can clone general arrangement drawings using the Clone command in the Drawing List dialog box. Cloning (p. 56) Creating drawings using cloning templates (p. 64)
See also
Cloning
You should consider cloning drawings when:
There are several similar parts, assemblies, or cast units in the model You need to produce single-part, assembly, or cast-unit drawings of similar parts, assemblies, or cast units The drawings need a lot of manual editing
For example, you can create a drawing for one truss, edit the drawing, and then clone it for similar trusses. Then you only need to modify the cloned drawings where the trusses differ. The cloned drawing may contain more parts than the original drawing. Part properties, marks, associative notes and related text objects are cloned from a similar part in the original drawing.
56
When you clone drawings of assemblies or cast units, they must have the same type of main part as the assembly or cast unit from which the original drawing was created. For example, the upper chords of the original and the cloned truss could be main parts. When you clone an assembly drawing that includes single-part drawings, Tekla Structures does not include the single-part drawings in the cloned assembly drawing by default. To include them, set the variable XS_INTELLIGENT_CLONING_ALLOWED to TRUE in Tools > Advanced Options > Drawing Properties.
2.
3.
See also
Master Drawing Catalog (p. 49) Editing master drawing properties of saved settings (p. 57) Creating drawings using saved settings (p. 58)
Make sure to always add all important information for each master drawing in the Master Drawing Properties dialog box. This makes it a lot easier to find the master drawings you are looking for.
To edit the catalog properties of saved settings: 1. Double-click a master drawing of the desired type, or select the master drawing, rightclick and select Edit Properties. The type of the master drawing and the type of the drawing to be created are shown in the dialog box
57
2. 3. 4. 5.
Modify the name of the drawing in the Name box. Enter or modify the description of the master drawing. You can search master drawings on the basis of data that you enter here. Enter or modify keywords for the master drawing. Use spaces between words. You can search master drawings on the basis of data that you enter here. To add or change the preview image, click Change image and select the image. You can use .bmp, .jpg, .jpeg, or .png images. We recommend that you use .png images. If you want to edit the drawing properties of the master drawing, click Edit drawing properties to display the drawing properties dialog box. Edit the properties and save Click OK to save your changes.
6.
them. Ensure that you have the correct drawing property file name at the top. 7.
See also
Drawing Properties (p. 235) Master Drawing Catalog (p. 49) Creating and adding preview images (p. 65) Creating drawings using saved settings (p. 58)
58
a b
For other drawing types than general arrangement drawings you are prompted to perform numbering if you have not done that yet. If you are creating a general arrangement drawing, the drawing properties dialog box and the Create General Arrangement Drawing dialog box are displayed. Modify the properties of necessary. In the Create General Arrangement Drawing dialog box, select the views that you want the drawing to be produced of and select the desired option from the Options list. Click Create to create the drawing(s).
Tekla Structures creates the drawings and adds them in the Drawing List. You can click the button in the toolbar to open the Drawing List.
See also
Select the type of drawings you want to create. The choices are Single-part drawings, Assembly drawings and Cast unit drawings. You can select several drawing types. For example, you can use the same rule set to create single-part drawings and assembly drawings. Click Next. In the next dialog box, click Add rule and define the object groups for which you want to create drawings, and select a master drawing for each group. Only those master drawing types are listed that can be used for the type of drawing that you selected in the previous dialog box.
3. 4.
59
If necessary, use the Move up and Move down buttons to move rules upwards and downwards in the list. If a rule that is higher in the list creates a drawing of an object, another rule that would create a drawing of the same object will not do it again. Use the Properties button to check or modify the properties of a master drawing that you have selected on the list. Use the Preview button to display a preview image of the selected master drawing. 5. 6. 7. Click Next. If you have selected several drawing types, repeat the previous steps for all drawing types that you have selected. In the next dialog box, enter a name for the rule set, a short description and keywords. All these can be used in search. If you have a screenshot that you want to use as a preview image for the rule set, click Browse and select the image. You can use .bmp, .jpg, .jpeg, and .png images. This screenshot is displayed as a thumbnail in the Master Drawing Catalog thumbnail list. You can display the preview image in a larger view by selecting the thumbnail, right-clicking and selecting Preview. Click Finish. The rule set is added in the Master Drawing Catalog.
8.
See also
Master Drawing Catalog (p. 49) Creating drawings using rule sets (p. 62)
60
To edit the master drawing properties of rule sets: 1. Double-click a master drawing of the desired type, or select the master drawing, rightclick and select Edit Properties. The type of the master drawing and the type of the drawing to be created are shown in the dialog box Modify your drawing type selections if necessary. Click Next. Add or remove object groups and select the appropriate master drawing type. Click Next and do the same for all selected drawing types. Modify the name of the drawing in the Name box. Enter or modify the description of the master drawing. You can search master drawings on the basis of data that you enter here. Enter or modify keywords for the master drawing. Use spaces between words. You can search master drawings on the basis of data that you enter here. To add or change the preview image, click Change image and select the image. You can use .bmp, .jpg, .jpeg, or .png images. We recommend that you use .png images. Click Save to save your changes.
2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
9.
See also
Master Drawing Catalog (p. 49) Creating and adding preview images (p. 65) Creating drawings using rule sets (p. 62)
Make sure to always add all important information for each master drawing in the Master Drawing Properties dialog box. This makes it a lot easier to find the master drawings you are looking for.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
In the catalog list, double-click a wizard file. Modify the name of the drawing in the Name box. Enter or modify the description of the master drawing. You can search master drawings on the basis of data that you enter here. Enter or modify keywords for the master drawing. Use spaces between words. You can search master drawings on the basis of data that you enter here. To add or change the preview image, click Change image and select the image. You can use .bmp, .jpg, .jpeg, or .png images. We recommend that you use .png images. To edit the contents of the wizard file, click Edit drawing properties. The wizard file is opened in a text editor. Modify the contents of the file, and save and close it. Click OK in the Master Drawing Properties dialog box.
6. 7.
See also
Wizard file (p. 55) Creating drawings using rule sets (p. 62) Master Drawing Catalog (p. 49)
61
Creating and adding preview images (p. 65) Wizard files (dproc)
In Master Drawing Catalog, you can create multidrawings only by using the wizard files.
To create drawings using a rule set: 1. 2. 3. 4. In the Model Editor, click Drawings & Reports > Create Drawings. Select the rule set from the list. Select the object(s) from the model. Click the Create drawings button. You are prompted to perform numbering if you have not done that yet. Tekla Structures creates the drawings and adds them in the Drawing List. You can click the button in the toolbar to open the Drawing List.
See also
Master Drawing Catalog (p. 49) Rule set (p. 54) Wizard file (p. 55)
You cannot add general arrangement drawings or multidrawings to Master Drawing Catalog from the Drawing List. You can clone general arrangement drawings using the Clone command in the Drawing List dialog box. Before you add a cloning template to Master Drawing Catalog, create a drawing with the desired properties and contents in the Model Editor and save it. To add a new cloning template: 1. 2. Click Drawings & Reports > Drawing List or click the drawing list icon the Drawing List. to open
Select the drawing that you want to add in the Master Drawing Catalog as a cloning template, right-click and select Add to Master Drawing Catalog, or select the drawing and press Ctrl + M. The Master Drawing Properties dialog box is displayed. On the General tab, enter a name for the cloning template, a short description and keywords. All these can be used in search.
3.
62
4.
If you have a screenshot that you want to use as a preview image for the cloning template, click Browse and browse to and select the image. This screenshot is displayed as a thumbnail in the Master Drawing Catalog thumbnail list, and opened in a larger view when you select and right-click a master drawing and select Preview. Go to the Drawing creation tab and specify how dimensions and marks are created, and select the objects to be cloned from the master drawing.
5.
6.
Click OK. is displayed The new cloning template is added to Master Drawing Catalog. Icon in the Master column of the Drawing List next to the drawing you added.
See also
Master Drawing Catalog (p. 49) Creating drawings using cloning templates (p. 64) Creating and adding preview images (p. 65)
Make sure to always add all important information for each master drawing in the Master Drawing Properties dialog box. This makes it a lot easier to find the master drawings you are looking for.
63
If you want to modify the drawing properties of cloning templates, change them first in the actual drawing and add the drawing in Master Drawing Catalog after that.
To edit the catalog properties of cloning templates: 1. Double-click a master drawing of the desired type, or select the master drawing, rightclick and select Edit Properties. The type of the master drawing and the type of the drawing to be created are shown in the dialog box Modify the name of the drawing in the Name box. Enter or modify the description of the master drawing. You can search master drawings on the basis of data that you enter here. Enter or modify keywords for the master drawing. Use spaces between words. You can search master drawings on the basis of data that you enter here. To add or change the preview image, click Change image and select the image. You can use .bmp, .jpg, .jpeg, or .png images. We recommend that you use .png images. Go to the Drawing creation tab. , Marks, and Marks for welds in model, define whether you a For he Dimensions t want to Clone them, recreate them automatically when you clone a drawing (Create) or Ignore them in cloning. b 7.
See also
2. 3. 4. 5.
6.
Select the objects to be cloned from the master drawing: Drawing welds, Level marks, DWG/DXF, Text files, Texts, Symbols, Graphics, and Hyperlinks).
Creating and adding preview images (p. 65) Creating drawings using cloning templates (p. 64)
4. 5.
Cloning (p. 56) Cloning through Drawing List (p. 82) Marks in cloned drawings (p. 89)
64
See also
Editing master drawing properties of saved settings (p. 57) Editing master drawing properties of rule sets (p. 60) Editing master drawing properties and contents of wizard files (p. 61) Editing master drawing properties of cloning templates (p. 63)
Select the master drawings that you want to show from the current model. To show master drawings from other models, click Add model and browse to the desired model. You can show only cloning templates from other models. Click OK to save your selection.
65
The description entered in the Master Drawing Properties dialog box is displayed at the bottom of the view.
Example
Add new, rename, and delete folders Copy master drawings to another folder Delete master drawings from folders Change the folder location in the tree
In the following example, we will create a new folder and two subfolders, change the order of the subfolders, rename a folder and add master drawings to a subfolder. Then we will copy master drawings to another folder and delete them from the original folder.
Deleting master drawings from a folder or copying them to another folder does not affect the catalog contents in any way. The folder view is just another way to help you to keep you master drawings well organized. 1. Open the Master Drawing Catalog by clicking Drawings & Reports > Create Drawings. Click the folder view icon to go to the folder view.
2. 3.
Right-click the tree area of the folder view and select Create new folder and type a name for the folder. In this example, we use the name Master Drawings for PROJECT2008.
66
4.
To create a subfolder, select the folder, in this case Master Drawings for PROJECT2008, right-click and select Create new subfolder. Type a name for the folder. In this example, we use the name Site12. Create another subfolder (Site10) in the same way. We notice that the name of the subfolder Site10 is not correct, it should be Site11. To rename a folder, select the folder, right-click and select Rename or press F2, and type a new name. Next, we want to move a folder upwards in the folder list. To move a folder upwards, select the folder, in this case Site11, right-click,and select Move up to move the folder one step upwards.
5.
6.
7.
Next we will copy drawings to the created folders. Open the folder containing the master drawings that you want to copy. In this example, we have a search folder called Single-part drawings for PROJECT2008 that contains all single-part drawings for this project. Select the drawings that you want to copy. You can use Ctrl or Shift to select several drawings. To copy the selected master drawings, right-click and select Add to and then select the desired folder, in this case Site11. The master drawings are copied. We notice after copying that some of the drawings we just copied should be in the Site12 folder. Copy the drawings there in the same way as above. Now you can delete the copied drawings from the original folder, in this case Site11 subfolder. To delete, select the copied drawings, right-click and select Delete or press Del. The drawings are deleted from the subfolder.
8. 9. 10.
See also
Search for master drawings on the basis of text that you have entered in the name, description and keyword boxes in the Master Drawing Properties dialog box. Save your search results and, in the folder view, copy master drawings from a search results folder to a folder that you have created for a certain purpose to make it easier for you to locate the needed master drawings.
Make sure to always add all important information for each master drawing in the Master Drawing Properties dialog box. This makes it a lot easier to find the master drawings you are looking for.
To search for master drawings and save the search results: 1. 2. 3. Enter the search criteria in the box next to the Search button. Click Search. The results are listed. To save the search results, click Store, type a name for the search, and click OK. a The search results are added in the category list in the search view.
67
The search results are also displayed as a folder in the folder view. There you can rename the saved search results, and copy the found drawings to the folders of your choice. If you want to remove the search results, select the results from the category list and click Remove.
Example
In this example, we want to find master drawigs that create drawings of single parts only: 1. We type single in the search box and press Search. The search found the following results:
We notice that the search results also contain lot of other types of rule sets than those creating only single-part drawings, and we want to narrow the search. 2.
Search.
Next, we will make a new search by entering of single parts only and clicking
Now the results look like below. The description of the master drawings are written so well that we can use quite precise search string and find exactly the two master drawings we want to find.
68
3.
Next, we save the search results by clicking Store and giving a name for the search. The new search results with the specified name are added in the folder list in the folder view and in the categories list in the search view
See also
69
Select predefined properties 3. 4. Click Apply or OK. Click Edit > Selection Filter... and select an appropriate selection filter to select the parts from which you want to create drawings.
Activate only Select parts on the Select switches toolbar when selecting parts. Otherwise selection could take a long time in large models.
5. 6. 7.
Select the entire model. On the Drawings & Reports menu, select the drawing-type-specific command. Tekla Structures creates the drawings. The created drawings are listed in the Drawing List dialog box.
If you want to create drawings of individual parts, assemblies, model views, or existing drawings, select those objects, select the desired object(s) and use the right-click pop up menu to create the drawings.
See also
Before creating drawings (p. 48) Creating single-part or assembly drawings (p. 70) Creating cast unit drawings (p. 71) Creating general arrangement drawings (p. 72) Creating anchor bolt plans (p. 73) Creating multi-drawings (p. 78) Creating multiple drawings of the same part using properties dialog box (p. 79) Opening drawings (p. 41) Working with drawings (p. 90) Selecting objects Creating a selection filter
70
To create single-part or assembly drawings of one type of part: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Use the selection filter to select the part type, for example, columns. Select the whole model. Click Drawings & Reports > Drawing Settings > Single-Part Drawing... (or Drawings & Reports > Drawing Settings > Assembly Drawing...) to display the Drawing Properties dialog box. Select the predefined properties from the list box and click the Load button. Click Apply or OK. To create drawings, click Drawings & Reports > Create Single-Part Drawing (or Drawings & Reports > Create Assembly Drawing).
To disable the drawing wizard from creating single-part and assembly drawings from concrete parts, set the variable XS_DO_NOT_CREATE_ASSEMBLY_DRAWINGS_FOR_CONC RETE_PARTS to TRUE.
To prevent Tekla Structures from creating end views when you create an assembly drawing and choose to include single-part drawings, set the variable XS_NO_END_VIEWS_TO_INCLUDED_SINGLE_DRAWINGS to TRUE.
If you do not want to create assembly drawings for assemblies that contain only one part, set the XS_DO_NOT_CREATE_ASSEMBLY_DRAWINGS_FOR_LOOS E_PARTS to TRUE.
See also
Create Single-Part Drawing (p. 100) Create Assembly Drawing (p. 101)
Dimensions Formwork Reinforcement Cast-in fittings Edge chamfers Hard and soft insulation, see also Insulation (p. 359).
You can only create cast unit drawings of concrete parts and cast-in embeds (steel parts or assemblies added to a cast unit). Cast unit drawings also show the bolts and welds in steel parts. The volume and weight information of the cast unit remains accurate even if there are cuts inside the cast unit. Edge chamfers can also be shown, and depending on the selected part representation, edge chamfers also remove material.
Method
71
Tekla Structures associates the drawing with the position number of the cast unit and all cast units that have the same position number.
By cast unit ID
Tekla Structures associates the drawing with a specific cast unit, using its unique ID. You can define sheet numbers for cast-unit drawings. To create cast unit drawings: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Select the cast units, or use an appropriate selection filter and select the whole model. Click Drawings & Reports > Drawing Settings > Cast Unit Drawing to open the drawing properties dialog box. Select the predefined properties you want to use from the list, and then click the Load button. Select the cast unit definition method: By cast unit position or By cast unit ID (default). Click Apply or OK. Click Drawings & Reports > Create Cast Unit Drawing. Tekla Structures creates the cast unit drawings.
For detailed instructions on how to create cast unit drawings and to learn more about cast unit drawing properties, see Create Cast Unit Drawing (p. 103). For a general description of drawing types, see Cast unit drawing (p. 35).
72
You do not need to update numbering to create or open general arrangement drawings.
You can create general arrangement drawings from a named model view without opening the view. You have the option to:
Create one drawing for each selected view Add all selected views to one drawing
As an alternative, you can create an empty drawing, and then add model views to it using the Drawing Editor. For detailed instructions on how to create drawing views, see View > Create Drawing View > Of Entire Model View (p. 108) and View > Create Drawing View > Of Selected Area in Model (p. 108).
See also
To create an anchor bolt plan: 1. 2. 3. 4. Select Drawings & Reports > Create General Arrangement Drawing. In the Create General Arrangement Drawing dialog box, click Drawing properties... In the General Arrangement Drawing Properties dialog box, click View... In the General - View Properties dialog box, go to the Anchor bolt plan tab and set the option Show as anchor bolt plan to Yes.
73
5.
If needed, set the option Create detail views to Yes to create separate detail views. If you select No, Tekla Structures dimensions the anchor bolts in the main drawing view. In this dialog box, you can also control the enlarged part view scale. You can also create detail views and control the detail view scale. All enlarged and detail views of an anchor bolt plan are rotated with the main view.
6. 7. 8.
Click OK to close the General - View Properties dialog box. Click OK to close the General Arrangement Drawing dialog box. In the Create General Arrangement Drawing dialog box, click Create.
Define the drawing as an anchor bolt plan when you are creating the drawing. You cannot convert a general arrangement drawing afterwards to an anchor bolt plan. When you create an anchor bolt plan, you can select only one view and the view must be in the xy-plane. If these conditions are not met, Tekla Structures displays a warning message and the anchor bolt plan is not created.
If you selected to create detail views in the anchor bolt plan, Tekla Structures groups similar detail views so that the similar details are drawn only once. If the detail views are not shown, Tekla Structures displays the bolt dimensions in the enlarged view. When details are compared, the following aspects are taken into account:
To see the ghost outline of the rest of the model in the anchor bolt plan, use white drawing background with colored lines. In the Drawing Editor, click Tools > Options > Drawing Color Mode and make sure that the option Black and White is not selected.
Defining the objects included in an anchor bolt plan
Tekla Structures selects the objects that are included in the anchor bolt plan based on the following criteria:
The part is a column or an almost vertical beam. The part is the main part of an assembly. A base plate is included in the assembly, and it is located lower than the main part. If there is more than one part in the column assembly that fulfills the rules, the lowest part of them is considered to be the base plate.
74
Bolts are attached to the base plate. The assembly is cut by the view plane. The boundary box of the base plate in X-Y direction intersects the boundary box of the column.
If the default rules listed above do not produce the desired result, you can limit the number of visible objects by using filtering to determine the parts to be included in the anchor bolt plan. Use the following variables in Tools > Options > Advanced Options > Drawing Properties to indicate the names of the filters:
XS_ANCHOR_BOLT_PLAN_COLUMN_FILTER: the name of the filter for columns XS_ANCHOR_BOLT_PLAN_BOLT_FILTER: the name of the filter for bolts XS_ANCHOR_BOLT_PLAN_BASEPLATE_FILTER: the name of the filter for base plates
If you do not set the variables, the default rules are used to determine columns, baseplates, and anchor bolts to be included in the anchor bolt plan. You can also add parts to the anchor bolt plan that do not meet the above criteria. You may want to add parts such as anchor rods and leveling plates that are not usually included in a column assembly. This can be done by defining a drawing filter and entering the name of the filter as the value for the variable XS_ANCHOR_BOLT_PLAN_ADDITIONAL_PARTS_FILTER in Advanced Options > Drawing Properties. For more information about adding additional parts in an anchor bolt plan and for step-by-step instructions, see Adding additional parts in anchor bolt plan using a drawing view filter (p. 76).
Bolt dimensions in an anchor bolt plan
Tekla Structures creates the bolt dimensions in an anchor bolt plan in the directions of the bolt group coordinate system. If the angle between the bolt group and the view coordinate systems is not orthogonal, Tekla Structures adds angle dimensions to the detail view. To create the dimensions in the x and y directions of the main view, set the variable XS_ANCHOR_BOLT_PLAN_USE_VIEW_COORDSYS_FOR_BOLT_DIMENSIONS to TRUE in Tools > Options > Advanced Options > Drawing Properties.
You can specify the distance of an assembly from the view plane for the assembly to be included in the anchor bolt plan. To specify the distance, use the variable XS_ANCHOR_BOLT_PLAN_DRAWING_TOLERANCE in Tools > Options > Advanced Options > Drawing Properties. Define the distance in millimeters. The default value is 200 mm. To add dimension points to the dimensions inside the enlarged views: 1. 2. 3. Select the enlarged view frame. Select the dimension to modify. Right-click and select Add dimension point.
Manual dimensions
You cannot create new dimension lines that have dimension points inside both the enlarged views and the main view.
See also
75
Adding additional parts in anchor bolt plan using a drawing view filter
You can use a drawing view filter to add parts thatare not usually part of a column assembly to an anchor bolt plan, such as anchor rods or leveling plates. You need to define the name of the filter as the value for the variable XS_ANCHOR_BOLT_PLAN_ADDITIONAL_PARTS_FILTER. In the following example we will make anchor rods and leveling plates visible in an anchor bolt plan.
Usage
1.
Select Tools > Options > Advanced Options > Drawing Properties and enter the name of the general arrangement drawing filter in XS_ANCHOR_BOLT_PLAN_ADDITIONAL_PARTS_FILTER. In this example, we will use the name SHOW_IN_ABPLAN.
Parts tab.
2. 3. 4.
In the general arrangement drawing properties dialog box, select Filter and go to the Enter ANCHOR*LEVEL* in the Name text box and select the checkbox next to the field.
as.
Enter the name of the filter, SHOW_IN_ABPLAN, in the Save as text box and click Save
Result
When you create an anchor bolt plan, both the anchor rods and the leveling plates are shown in the drawing. In the drawing below, the name of the anchor rod is "ANCHOR ROD" and the name of the leveling plate is "LEVELING PLATE."
76
If the column reference point does not fall on the grid line, Tekla Structures dimensions the reference point automatically relative to the grid lines:
If the column is rotated relative to the drawing, the rotation is also automatically dimensioned.
77
If you set the associative option XS_ANCHOR_BOLT_PLAN_USE_VIEW_COORDSYS_FOR_BOLT_DIMENSIONS to FALSE in Tools > Options > Advanced Options > Drawing Properties and create the drawing, all dimensions are in the drawing coordinate system.
Creating multi-drawings
Create multi-drawings when you need to:
Include more than one assembly on a sheet Place several single-part drawings on one sheet
78
Of what
With or without layout
Existing drawings Model and drawing views Selected parts and assemblies
If you create multi-drawings from existing drawings, you can choose to include their individual layouts. If you want to have separate lists, tables, and call-offs for each part or assembly, you should include the individual drawing layouts. You can also include lists and tables for all parts or assemblies in the multi-drawing.
To remove extra space between drawing view labels and drawing views, set the variable: XS_MULTIDRAWING_REMOVE_VIEW_LABEL_GAP to TRUE
For detailed instructions on how to create this type of drawing, see Create Multidrawings (p. 105).
Creating multiple drawings of the same part using properties dialog box
You can create several drawings from the same part as multiple drawing sheets. The number of sheets is not limited, and each drawing can have it's own properties. This is useful when you need extra sheets for details and section views, and especially when you want to have several drawings of an assembly with different presentation options: one with large 3D image of the assembly, one with additional section views, and one where only certain parts or subassemblies of the assembly are marked and dimensioned.
Usage
To create multiple drawings: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Open the drawing properties dialog box. Adjust the drawing properties and change the name so that it refers to the type of drawing you want to create, for example FRAME 3D. Do not touch the Sheet number. Click Apply to keep the changes and leave the dialog box open. Create a drawing of the object by s electing the appropriate command from the Drawings & Reports menu. In the drawing properties dialog box, adjust the drawing properties again and change the name to match the type of the new drawing, for example FRAME FRONT. Change the sheet number in the Sheet number text box to get another drawing of the same assembly with a different sheet number.
6. 7.
Click Apply and create a new drawing of the same object. Continue making all the sheets you need in the same way as above.
79
Example
This command is displayed on the Drawings & Reports menu, if you have set the variable XS_ENABLE_AUTODRAWINGS_IN_MENU to TRUE in Tools > Options > Advanced Options > Drawing Properties. FALSE is the default. You can also create drawings using wizard files (rule sets) in the Master Drawing Catalog.
By default, Tekla Structures writes a log file when you run an AutoDrawings wizard. The log files contain information such as errors, number of drawings created, commands used, etc. AutoDrawings Wizard log Creating AutoDrawings wizard files Drawings & Reports > AutoDrawing... (p. 107)
80
1. 2. 3. 4.
Select Drawings & Reports > AutoDrawing... to open the AutoDrawings dialog box. In the AutoDrawings dialog box, select the wizard file. Click Edit to open the wizard file. In the file, give the names of the drawing properties you want to use to create the multiple drawings. Give the names in parenthesis in the set_drawing_attributes row as shown below:
set_drawing_type(cast_unit) set_drawing_attributes(sheet1, sheet2, sheet3) set_filter(column_filter) create_drawings()
5. 6. 7. 8.
Save the wizard file. Click Show in the AutoDrawings dialog box. Tekla Structures displays the updated wizard file. Select the part of which you want to create the drawings in the model. Click Create from selected in the AutoDrawings dialog box. Tekla Structures creates the drawings.
This command is displayed on the Drawings & Reports menu, if you have set the variable XS_ENABLE_AUTODRAWINGS_IN_MENU to TRUE in Tools > Options > Advanced Options > Drawing Properties. FALSE is the default. You can also create drawings using wizard files (rule sets) in the Master Drawing Catalog. 1. 2. 3. 4. Select Drawings & Reports > AutoDrawing . In the AutoDrawings dialog box, select the drawing type and click Edit. In a text editor, replace the string set_drawing_attribute with a string set_template_drawing. Enter a definition for set_template_drawing. Give the model path and the name of the drawing template, for example set_template_drawing("C:\TSModels\AngleModel":"[A.2]") and save the file. Below is an example of how contents might look like.
set_drawing_type(assembly) set_template_drawing("C:\TSModels\AngleModel":"[A.2]") set_filter(beams) create_drawings()
5.
See also
Click Create from all or Create from selected. AutoDrawings creates new drawings using the defined drawing template.
81
There are several similar parts, assemblies, or cast units in the model You need to produce single-part, assembly, or cast-unit drawings of similar parts, assemblies, or cast units The drawings need a lot of manual editing
For example, you can create a drawing for one truss, edit the drawing, and then clone it for similar trusses. Then you only need to modify the cloned drawings where the trusses differ. The cloned drawing may contain more parts than the original drawing. Part properties, marks, associative notes and related text objects are cloned from a similar part in the original drawing. In this section, you learn how to clone drawings in the Clone Drawing dialog box, which you can access from the Drawing List. You can also clone drawings in the Master Drawing Catalog. Also AutoDrawings dialog box allows you to clone using the drawing templates.
See also
Creating drawings using cloning templates (p. 64) Cloning single-part, cast-unit and assembly drawings (p. 82) Marks in cloned drawings (p. 89) Checking dimensions and views in cloned drawings (p. 90) Cloning general arrangement drawings (p. 83) View-specific dimension cloning (p. 88) Defining objects to be cloned (p. 85) Master Drawing Catalog (p. 49)
8. 9.
82
When you clone an assembly drawing that includes single-part drawings, Tekla Structures does not include the single-part drawings in the cloned assembly drawing by default. To include them, set the variable XS_INTELLIGENT_CLONING_ALLOWED to TRUE in Tools > Advanced Options > Drawing Properties.
The cloned drawing appears in the list of drawings in the Drawing List dialog box.
Section and detail views are not cloned when cloning general arrangement drawings.
Example
In this example we have an edited general arrangement drawing of the first floor of a building to speed up the editing of the corresponding general arrangement drawing of the second floor.
The general arrangement drawing of the first floor has been slightly edited.
83
We have completed the above steps to clone the drawing. In step 4, we selected the model view that represents the second floor.
The drawing view plane has been moved to match the model view PLAN 2nd Floor plane.
84
If there are parts in matching places, the marks have been cloned to the new location and the content has been updated. Dimensions are cloned. Other marks and notes are cloned.
Field
Clone from
Description Select the sourcedrawing or clone from a cloning template. Indicate which objects to clone:
See also
Dimensions Drawing welds Modeling welds Level marks Revision marks Other marks Texts Symbols Other graphic objects Text files DWG/DXF Hyperlinks
Cloning single-part, cast-unit and assembly drawings (p. 82) Cloning general arrangement drawings (p. 83) Drawing List contents and markings (p. 42) Creating drawings from cloning templates using Clone Drawing (p. 85) XS_INTELLIGENT_CLONING_ALLOWED
85
For example:
set XS_DRAWING_TEMPLATES_LIBRARY=C:\TeklaStructuresModels\CloningTempla te
To open the Clone Drawing dialog box, click Clone... in the drawing list dialog box. Use the Objects and actions in cloning options to define the drawing objects to use in the new drawing. Select the Clone from > Other model option and click the Select template... button. You can also use Browse to browse to the model folder containing the cloning templates that you want.
6.
7.
See also
Leave the list open and clone the cloning template drawing by clicking Clone selected.
86
2. 3. 4. 5.
Select Tools > Create Preview Image. Open the Clone Drawing dialog box by clicking Clone in the Drawing List. Select Other model and browse for the model. Click the Select template button to open the list of drawings that the selected model has. On the list, there is a small icon in the Preview column if the drawing has a preview image.
6.
87
1. 2.
Double-click the view frame to open the View Properties dialog box. Select Dimension creation method in this view > Clone on the Attributes 2 tab.
3. 4. 5. 6.
Save and close the drawing. Open the Drawing List, select the drawing and click Clone. In the Clone Drawing dialog box, select the objects to be cloned and the dimension cloning option (Ignore, Clone, Create). Click Clone selected.
88
The dimension cloning options in the Clone Drawing dialog box affect all views, whereas with Dimension creation method in this view in the View Properties dialog box you can set the dimension creation method for the selected view only. Selecting Clone as the dimension creation method overwrites the dimension cloning option selected from the Dimensions list box in the Clone Drawing dialog box. Examples of different combinations of selections:
If you select Dimension > Ignore, the dimensions will be cloned only for those views that have Dimension creation method in this view set to Clone. If you select Dimension > Clone, the dimensions will be cloned for all views. If you select Dimension > Create, the dimensions will be created for all views except for those that have Dimension creation method in this view set to Do not create.
89
In order to add and remove dimension points and to remove dimension point invalidity symbols, you may have to adjust the drawing view size so that the dimension points are inside the view.
To remove the red dimension point invalidity symbols in cloned drawings, do one of the following:
In the Drawing Editor, click Dimensioning > Review Dimensions > Remove Dimension Point Invalidity Symbol > Single and select the circle to remove. Or to remove all circles, click Dimensioning > Review Dimensions > Remove Dimension Point Invalidity Symbol > All.
Create a new dimension point (Dimensioning > Edit Dimensions > Add Dimension Point) at the correct position and delete the existing dimension point (Dimensioning > Edit Dimensions > Remove Dimension Point). When you delete incorrect dimensions, the red dimension point invalidity symbols will also disappear. You can then recreate the dimensions.
Click the Open drawing list icon. In the Model Editor, select Drawings & Reports > Drawing List... or press Ctrl + L. In the Drawing Editor, select Drawing File > Open... or press Ctrl + O.
There you can open, update, edit, freeze, lock, clone, and delete drawings. You can also sort, select, and display drawings according to different criteria, and print lists of certain drawings. You can also use the drawing list to find the connections between the drawings and the parts in the model.
See also
Locking and freezing drawings (p. 91) Drawing objects associated with model objects (p. 91)
90
Updating drawings when the model changes (p. 93) Editing Drawings (p. 341) Cloning single-part, cast-unit and assembly drawings (p. 82) Creating drawings from cloning templates using Clone Drawing (p. 85) Issuing drawings (p. 95) Drawing revisions (p. 95) Moving views to another drawing (p. 97) Drawing List contents and markings (p. 42) Drawing List fields and buttons (p. 44) Drawing status flags (p. 46) Producing reports on selected drawings (p. 404) Exporting drawings
Locking prevents the drawings from being opened, updated, cloned, deleted, or modified, even if the model changes. Tekla Structures flags locked drawings for update if the model changes. See also Drawing status flags (p. 46). Freezing prevents the drawing views or associative objects, such as dimensions and marks, from being updated. In frozen drawings only parts are updated. See Drawing objects associated with model objects (p. 91). If there have been changes in the model, the drawing views or associative objects may not always be placed correctly in a general arrangement (GA) drawing. Use Freeze to solve the situation. 1. 2. 3. 4. Close the drawing without saving it. Open the Drawing List dialog box and select the drawing. Set Freeze to On. Open the drawing.
Freezing
91
Associative notes Lines and other shapes Base points of objects; for example, if you dragged the object to a new location Object properties; for example, color, font, and line type
When you have frozen a drawing in Tekla Structures, the changes that you make in associative objects afterwards in the model are no longer available in the drawing.
Associative symbol
In the Drawing editor, the associative symbol indicates which drawing objects are automatically updated. The symbol does not appear in printed drawings.
To hide the associative symbol in drawings, click Tools > Options > Associative Symbol, or use the shortcut Shift + A.
A change symbol (by default a cloud) is drawn around the old point, the new point and the dimension values, or around the changed mark content or note. An arrow is drawn from the old point to the new point.
92
To change the appearance and the height of the change symbol, use the variables XS_ASSOCIATIVE_CHANGE_HIGHLIGHT_SYMBOL and XS_ASSOCIATIVE_CHANGE_HIGHLIGHT_SIZE. To remove the change symbols, go to Dimensioning > Review Dimensions > Remove Dimension Change Symbol or Annotating > Review Marks > Remove Mark Change Symbol or Remove Associative Note Change Symbol. Select Single or All, depending on how many symbols you want to remove.
If you use the default color (magenta), the symbols are displayed on the screen but they will not appear in the printed drawings.
2. 3. 4.
5.
93
6. 7.
Select the affected drawings on the drawing list and click Update. Create drawings of new parts.
To find which parts have been renumbered, select the relevant entries from the numbering history log. Tekla Structures highlights the corresponding part(s) in the model. To view the properties of renumbered parts, right-click an entry in the numbering history log and select Properties... from the pop-up menu.
When you update a drawing that has not been modified, the drawing is recreated. The drawings are automatically recreated unless the drawing has been edited and then saved, or the drawing has been issued using the Issue functionality in the drawing list. Use the variable XS_RECREATE_UNMODIFIED_DRAWINGS to control the recreation of unmodified drawings.
See also
Finding parts that have no drawings (p. 94) Drawing List contents and markings (p. 42) Drawing status flags (p. 46)
Ensure that you have only the Select parts select switch active on the Select toolbar when selecting parts. Otherwise selecting objects can take a long time in large models.
94
Issuing drawings
Use the drawing list to mark issued drawings:
Tekla Structures adds flag to the selected drawings in the drawing list and saves the issue date in the model database, so you can use it in reports and drawings.
To show the issue date in a report, add the template field DATE_ISSUE in a report template.
To remove issue flags, select the drawings on the drawing list and click Issue Off.
Drawing revisions
When you revise drawings, you can attach information to them about the changes you have made. Tekla Structures displays this information alongside the revision number or mark. The revision date also appears in the revision table within drawings. The revision number or mark is also shown on the drawing list by default. The report drawing_issue_rev.xsr shows the most recent revision dates of drawings.
You can choose whether Tekla Structures shows the revision numbers or the revision marks on the drawing list. By default, it shows the revision numbers. To see the revision marks on the list, set the variable XS_SHOW_REVISION_MARK_ON_DRAWING_LIST=TRUE.
See also
Producing reports on selected drawings (p. 404) Add Revision Mark (p. 396) Creating revisions (p. 96) Changing revisions (p. 96) Deleting revisions (p. 96)
95
Creating revisions
Each drawing has its own unique revision number, but several drawings can share the same revision mark, date, and information. To attach the same revision information to several drawings simultaneously, select multiple drawings from the drawing list. To create a revision: 1. 2. In the Drawing List dialog box, select the drawing(s) to revise. Click Revision.... The Revision Handling dialog box is displayed.
3. 4.
Enter a mark (minimum requirement). You can also enter a date for the revision, and add a maximum of three lines of Text about the changes. Click Create.
Changing revisions
To modify an existing revision: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. In the Drawing List dialog box, select the drawing(s) to revise. Click Revision.... In the Revision Handling dialog box, select the number of the revision in the list box next to the Mark field. Change the revision information. Click Modify.
Deleting revisions
To delete a revision: 1. 2. 3. 4. Select a revised drawing from the drawing list. Click Revision In the Revision Handling dialog box, select the revision number in the list box next to the Mark field. Click Delete. When you delete a revision, Tekla Structures automatically adjusts the remaining revision numbers for that drawing. The revision marks do not change.
96
Source drawing B.1 - 1 containing the section view. The section view label contains a reference to the target drawing C.1 - 1. Target drawing C.1 - 1.The view label contains a reference to the source drawing B.1 - 1.
Label texts Advanced Options... > Drawing Properties):
To edit the reference text in the labels, use the following variables (in Tools > Options >
XS_SECTION_VIEW_REFERENCE - the section view label XS_SECTION_SYMBOL_REFERENCE - the section symbol label XS_DETAIL_VIEW_REFERENCE - the detail view label XS_DETAIL_SYMBOL_REFERENCE - the detail symbol label
97
To save a drawing, click Drawing File > Save, or . Tekla Structures automatically saves drawings at set intervals. For information on how to define the location of autosave files and set their location see Autosave.
To close a drawing, close the drawing window, or click Drawing File > Close (Back to Model). A confirmation dialog box is displayed where Tekla Structures prompts you to save the drawing.
Command
Numbering Create Drawings
Icon
Description Opens a submenu containing the numbering commands Opens the Master Drawing Catalog where you can create new drawings on the basis of saved settings (drawing property files), rule sets (wizards), and cloning templates. Creates single-part drawings of selected parts. Creates assembly drawings of selected assemblies. Creates cast unit drawings of selected cast units. Creates general arrangement drawings of selected model views.
Create Single-Part Drawing (p. 100) Create Assembly Drawing (p. 101) Create Cast Unit Drawing (p. 103) Create General Arrangement Drawing... (p. 104)
98
Command
Create Multidrawing
Icon
Description Opens a submenu containing commands that create multi-drawings of selected drawings, parts, or views.
Displays the AutoDrawings dialog box and automatically creates drawings of selected parts.
Drawings & Reports menu, if you have set XS_ENABLE_AUTODRAWINGS_IN_MENU to TRUE in Tools > Options > Advanced Options > Drawing Properties. FALSE is
the default. You can also create drawings using wizard files (rule sets) in the Master Drawing Catalog. To add views to drawings, use the icons on the View toolbar, or select a command on the View menu in the Drawing Editor.
Command View > Create Drawing View > Of Entire Model View (p. 108) View > Create Drawing View > Of Selected Area in Model (p. 108) View > Create Drawing View > Of Selected Area in Drawing View (p. 108) View > Create Drawing View > Of Selected Part in Drawing View > Front, Top, Back, Bottom, 3D (p. 109) View > Create Drawing View > Section View (p. 109)
Icon
Description Creates a drawing view of a model view within a drawing. Creates a drawing view of the selected area in the model. Creates a new drawing view from an existing drawing view within a drawing. Creates another view of a part from another direction within a single-part, assembly, or cast-unit drawing.
99
Command View > Create Drawing View > Curved Section View (p. 110) View > Create Drawing View > Detail View (p. 110)
See also
Icon
Description Creates a curved section view from the existing view. Creates a view from a detailed area of an existing view in another scaled-up view.
Master Drawing Catalog (p. 49) Copying and linking drawing views (p. 382) DWG and DXF files in drawings (p. 362) Numbering the Model Create Multidrawings (p. 105)
Creates single-part drawings of the selected parts. Numbering has to be up-to-date. Tekla Structures creates single-part drawings using the current properties in the Single-part Drawing Properties dialog box. You can open the dialog box by selecting Drawings & Reports > Drawing Settings > Single-Part Drawing. The filename extension of a saved
Field/Button
Name Sheet number
Description/More information The name of the drawing. See Common drawing properties (p. 236). You can create several sheets for a drawing. See Creating multiple drawings of the same part using properties dialog box (p. 79). User-definable text for drawing headers. See Common drawing properties (p. 236). Scale and location of drawing views (p. 123), Drawing size (p. 126) Drawing view properties (p. 241) Section view properties (p. 259) Dimension properties (p. 222) Dimensioning properties (p. 216) Part and neighbor part properties (p. 269)
Title Layout... View... Section view... Dimension... Dimensioning. .. Part... Neighbor part... Bolt... Part mark... Bolt mark...
Bolt and weld properties (p. 278) Part mark properties... (p. 334) Bolt mark properties... (p. 335)
100
Field/Button
N. part mark... Connection mark... Protection... Grid... Surface treatment... Surface treatment mark... User-defined attributes... Usage
Description/More information Marks for neighboring parts. See Part mark properties... (p. 334). Connection mark properties... (p. 336) Protection (p. 238) Grids in drawings (p. 320) Surface treatment properties (p. 288) Surface treatment mark properties... (p. 338)
1. 2.
In the Model Editor, select the parts from which to create drawings using the appropriate filters. Do one of the following:
Click the Create single-part drawing icon. On the Drawings & Reports menu, click Create Single-Part Drawing. Right-click then select Create Drawings > Single-Part Drawing from the pop-up menu.
To automatically open a drawing after you create it, hold down the Ctrl + Shift keys when you create the drawing.
See also
Drawing List contents and markings (p. 42) Creating drawings (p. 48) Creating single-part or assembly drawings (p. 70) Section view label and mark (p. 262)
Creates assembly drawings of the selected assemblies. Numbering must be up to date. Tekla Structures creates assembly drawings using the current properties in the Assembly Drawing Properties dialog box. You can open the dialog box by selecting Drawings & Reports > Drawing Settings > Assembly Drawing. The filename extension of a saved properties file is ad.
Field/Button
Name Title
Description/More information The name of the drawing. See Common drawing properties (p. 236). User-definable text in drawing headers. See Common drawing properties (p. 236).
101
Field/Button
Sheet number
Description/More information You can create several sheets for a drawing. See Creating multiple drawings of the same part using properties dialog box (p. 79). Scale and location of drawing views (p. 123), Drawing size (p. 126) Drawing view properties (p. 241) Section view properties (p. 259) Dimension properties (p. 222) Dimensioning properties (p. 216) Part and neighbor part properties (p. 269)
Layout... View... Section view... Dimension... Dimensioning. .. Part... Neighbor part... Bolt... Weld... Part mark... Bolt mark... Neighbor part mark... Connection mark... Protection... Surface treatment... Surface treatment mark... Grid... User-defined attributes... Usage
Bolt and weld properties (p. 278) Part mark properties... (p. 334) Bolt mark properties... (p. 335) Marks for neighboring parts. See Part mark properties... (p. 334). Connection mark properties... (p. 336) Protection (p. 238) Surface treatment properties (p. 288) Surface treatment mark properties... (p. 338)
1. 2.
In the Model Editor, select the assemblies of which to create drawings. Use appropriate filters. Do one of the following:
Click the Create assembly drawing icon. On the Drawings & Reports menu, click Create Assembly Drawing. Right-click and select Create Drawings > Assembly Drawing from the pop-up menu.
To automatically open a drawing after you create it, hold down the Ctrl + Shift keys when you create the drawing.
See also
Drawing List contents and markings (p. 42) Creating drawings (p. 48) Creating single-part or assembly drawings (p. 70) Section view label (p. 265)
102
Creates cast-unit drawings of the selected cast units. Numbering must be up to date. Tekla Structures creates cast-unit drawings using the current properties in the Cast Unit Drawing Properties dialog box. You can open the dialog box by selecting Drawings & Reports > Drawing Settings > Cast Unit Drawing. The filename extension of a saved properties file is cud.
Field/Button
Cast unit definition method Sheet number
You can create several sheets for a drawing. See Creating multiple drawings of the same part using properties dialog box (p. 79). The name of the drawing. See Common drawing properties (p. 236). User-definable text in drawing headers. Common drawing properties (p. 236). Drawing size (p. 126) Drawing view properties (p. 241) Section view properties (p. 259) Dimension properties (p. 222) Dimensioning properties (p. 216) Part and neighbor part properties (p. 269) Part mark properties... (p. 334) Marks for neighboring parts. See Part mark properties... (p. 334). Bolt and weld properties (p. 278) Bolt mark properties... (p. 335) Reinforcement properties (p. 282)
Name Title Layout... View... Section view... Dimension... Dimensioning... Part... Neighbor part... Part mark... N. part mark... Bolt... Weld... Bolt mark... Reinforcement... Reinforcement marks... Surface treatment... Surface treatment mark... Protection... Grid... User-defined attributes...
Surface treatment properties (p. 288) Surface treatment mark properties... (p. 338) Protection (p. 238) Grids in drawings (p. 320) User-defined attributes in drawings (p. 237)
103
Usage
1. 2.
In the Model Editor, select the cast units from which to create drawings using appropriate selection filters. Do one of the following:
Click the Create Cast Unit drawing icon. On the Drawings & Reports menu, click Create Cast Unit Drawing. Right-click, and then select Create Drawings > Cast Unit Drawing from the pop-up menu.
To automatically open a drawing after you create it, hold down the Ctrl + Shift keys when you create the drawing.
See also
Drawing List contents and markings (p. 42) Creating drawings (p. 48) Creating cast unit drawings (p. 71) Section view label (p. 265)
Displays the Create General Arrangement Drawing dialog box and creates general arrangement (GA) drawings of the selected model views. The model views must exist. Tekla Structures creates GA drawings using the current properties in the General Arrangement Drawing Properties dialog box. You can open the dialog box by selecting Drawings & Reports > Drawing Settings > General Arrangement Drawing or by clicking Drawing Properties... in the Create General Arrangement Drawing dialog box. The filename extension of a saved properties file is gd.
Field/Button
Name Title Layout... View...
Description/More information The name of the drawing. See Common drawing properties (p. 236). User-definable text in drawing headers. Common drawing properties (p. 236). Drawing size (p. 126) Drawing view properties (p. 241) To create anchor bolt plans, use the Anchor bolt plan tab. See Creating anchor bolt plans (p. 73).
Filter... Neighbor part filter... Part... Neighbor part... Bolt... Weld... Reinforcement... Part mark... Bolt mark...
Defines which parts are visible in the drawing. Defines which neighboring parts are visible in the drawing. Part and neighbor part properties (p. 269) Bolt and weld properties (p. 278) Reinforcement properties (p. 282) Part mark properties... (p. 334) Bolt mark properties... (p. 335)
104
Field/Button
N. part mark... Connection mark... Reinforcement marks... Protection... Grid... Surface treatment... Surface treatment mark... Reference objects... User-defined attributes... Usage
Description/More information Marks for neighboring parts. See Part mark properties... (p. 334). Connection mark properties... (p. 336)
Protection (p. 238) Grids in drawings (p. 320) Surface treatment properties (p. 288) Surface treatment mark properties... (p. 338) Displaying reference models in drawings (p. 369) User-defined attributes in drawings (p. 237)
1. 2.
3.
Click the Create general arrangement drawing icon. On the Drawings & Reports menu, click Create General Arrangement Drawing.... Right-click in a view and select Create General Arrangement Drawing... from the pop-up menu.
In the Create General Arrangement Drawing dialog box, select the model view(s) to include in the drawing(s). You can:
4. 5. 6.
See also
Create one drawing for each selected view. Add all selected views to one drawing. You can also create an empty drawing, and then add model views to it.
To view or set the drawing properties, click Drawing properties.... Modify the properties if necessary, and then click Apply or OK. To open the drawing immediately after it is created Tekla Structures, select the Open drawing checkbox. Click Create.
Drawing List contents and markings (p. 42) Creating drawings (p. 48) Creating general arrangement drawings (p. 72) Creating anchor bolt plans (p. 73) Section view label and mark (p. 262)
Create Multidrawings
Synopsis Description
Creates multidrawings of the selected drawings, parts, or views. You have the following options to indicate which objects to include, and how to create multidrawings:
105
Command
Empty Drawing
Icon
Description Creates empty multidrawings to which you can add views and/or drawings. Creates multidrawings of the selected drawings. Select the drawings from the drawing list before initiating the command. Creates multidrawings of the selected drawings, keeping the layout of each selected drawing. Creates single-part drawings of the selected parts and places the drawings in a multidrawing. Creates single-part drawings of the selected parts, keeping the layout of each drawing, and places the drawings in a multidrawing. Creates assembly drawings of the selected parts and places the drawings in a multidrawing. Creates assembly drawings of the selected parts, keeping the layout of each drawing, and places the drawings in a multidrawing.
Selected Drawings
Selected Drawings with Layout New Single-Part Drawings of Selected Parts New Single-Part Drawings of Selected Parts with Layout New Assembly Drawings of Selected Parts New Assembly Drawings of Selected Parts with Layout
Tekla Structures creates multidrawings using the current properties in the Multidrawing Properties dialog box. You can open the properties dialog box by selecting Drawings & Reports > Drawing Settings > Multidrawing. The single-part or assembly drawings you include retain their original properties. The filename extension of a saved properties file is md.
Field/Button
Name Title Layout...
Description/More information The name of the drawing. See Common drawing properties (p. 236). User-definable text in drawing headers. See Common drawing properties (p. 236). Select the layout for the drawing, select whether to list hidden objects in templates, and modify size settings. See Drawing size (p. 126). Protection (p. 238) User-defined attributes in drawings (p. 237)
1.
Select the objects/drawings, views, or parts from which to create multidrawings. Use appropriate filters.
106
2.
See also
Click the desired Create Multidrawing icon. Click Drawings & Reports > Create Multidrawing and then select an option. Right-click and then select Create Drawings > Multidrawing and an option from the pop-up menu.
Drawing List contents and markings (p. 42) Creating drawings (p. 48) Creating multi-drawings (p. 78)
This command is displayed on the Drawings & Reports menu, if you have set the variable XS_ENABLE_AUTODRAWINGS_IN_MENU to TRUE in Tools > Options > Advanced Options > Drawing Properties. FALSE is the default. You can also create drawings using wizard files (rule sets) in the Master Drawing Catalog. Displays the AutoDrawings dialog box and automatically creates drawings of the selected parts.
Preconditions Description
The appropriate wizard files must exist and numbering must be up to date. Tekla Structures AutoDrawings wizards create single-part, assembly, cast-unit or multidrawings using the settings in the wizard files, which control how the drawings are created. You can choose from the predefined wizard files in the system folder, edit them, or create your own. The AutoDrawings dialog box lists the available wizard files. 1. Select the parts from which to create drawings. You can also select the entire model and use filters to fine-tune your selection.
Usage
Use selection filters in the wizard file if you need to. If you do, your selection can include parts that will not be included in the drawings.
2. 3. 4. 5.
See also
Select Drawings & Reports > AutoDrawing.... In the AutoDrawings dialog box, select a wizard file. To view the file, click Show. To edit the file, click Edit. On the Advanced tab, select whether to create a log file, what information it should include and name the log file. Click Create from selected.
Creating drawings using rule sets (p. 62) Using AutoDrawings to create drawings (p. 80) Creating AutoDrawings wizard files Creating drawings from cloning templates using Clone Drawing (p. 85)
107
Creates a drawing view of a model view in a drawing. You must have both the model view and the drawing open. Tekla Structures calculates the boundaries of the view to fit the entire model view into the drawing view. Tekla Structures creates the drawing view using the current properties in the drawing View Properties dialog box. Tekla Structures places the view in the lower left corner of the drawing, but you can move the view.
Usage
1. 2.
In the Drawing Editor, click View > Create Drawing View > Of Entire Model View. Select the model view.
See also
Properties of individual views (p. 244) Adding views to drawings (p. 379)
Creates a drawing view of a selected area in the model. You must have a model view open. Pick two points in the model to define the x and y dimensions of the drawing view. The x and y directions use the coordinate system of the model view. The view depth of the drawing view is the same as the depth of the model view. Tekla Structures creates drawing views using the current properties in the drawing View Properties dialog box. Tekla Structures places the view in the lower left corner of the drawing, but you can move the view. 1. 2. 3.
Usage
In the Drawing Editor, click View > Create Drawing View > Of Selected Area in Model. Pick the first corner of the model view. Pick the second corner.
See also
Properties of individual views (p. 244) Adding views to drawings (p. 379)
View > Create Drawing View > Of Selected Area in Drawing View
Synopsis Preconditions Description
Creates a new drawing view from an existing drawing view within a drawing. Tekla Structures creates drawing views using the current properties in the drawing View properties dialog box. A symbol representing the view that you are about to place follows the mouse pointer and allows you to see where you are about to place the view.
Drawing View.
Usage
1. 2. 3.
In the Drawing Editor, click View > Create Drawing View > Of Selected Area in
Select the area of which you want to make a view. Select a position for the new view.
See also
Properties of individual views (p. 244) Adding views to drawings (p. 379)
108
View > Create Drawing View > Of Selected Part in Drawing View > Front, Top, Back, Bottom, 3D
Synopsis Preconditions Description
Creates an additional front view of a part within a single-part, assembly, or cast-unit drawing. You can select which part plane Tekla Structures uses to create the drawing view or create a 3D view. The plane can be:
You can only select planes which do not already have a drawing view. Tekla Structures creates the drawing view using the current properties in the drawing View properties dialog box. Tekla Structures places the view in the lower left corner of the drawing, but you can move the view.
Usage See also
In the Drawing Editor, click View > Create Drawing View > Of Selected Part in Drawing View > Front, Top, Back, Bottom or 3D View and select the part plane. Properties of individual views (p. 244) Adding views to drawings (p. 379)
Creates a section view from an existing view. Drawing must contain at least one view. Tekla Structures creates the section views in GA drawings always so that the Z axis points up:
In section views for XY plane views, or gently sloped planes like roof planes, the viewpoint is rotated so that section views vertical axis will be parallel to the global Z axis. In section views for XZ or YZ planes, the Z axis points up.
Tekla Structures creates the drawing view using the current properties in the drawing View
In the Drawing Editor, 1. Click View > Create Drawing View > Section View.
2.
109
3. 4. 5. 6.
Pick the second point on the cut plane (2). Pick a point to indicate the cut box (3). Pick another point to indicate the cut box (4). Pick a point to indicate the location of the section view in the drawing. A symbol representing the view that you are about to place follows the mouse pointer and allows you to see where you are about to place the view.
7.
See also
Tekla Structures creates the section view and adds a section mark in the original view.
Properties of individual views (p. 244) Adding views to drawings (p. 379)
Creates a curved section view from an existing view. Drawing must contain at least one view. Tekla Structures creates the drawing view using the current properties in the drawing View Properties dialog box. In the Drawing Editor, 1. 2. 3. 4. Click View > Create Drawing View > Curved section view. Pick the first point on the cut plane. Then pick a second and third point on the cut plane. Pick a point to indicate the cut box. Then pick another point to indicate the cut box. Pick a point to indicate the location of the curved section view in the drawing. A symbol representing the view that you are about to place follows the mouse pointer and allows you to see where you are about to place the view. 5. Tekla Structures creates the curved section view and adds a section mark in the original view.
Creates a view from a detailed area of an existing view in another scaled-up view. Tekla Structures creates the detail view using the current properties in the drawing View
110
Detail view can either be in the same drawing as the existing view or you can move it to another drawing.
Usage
In the Drawing Editor, 1. 2. Click View > Create Drawing View > Detail View. Pick the first corner of the detail view OR Pick the center point of the circle, if the symbol shape is set to Circle. 3. Pick the second corner OR Pick a point on the circle. 4. 5. 6. Pick a the position of the detail symbol. Pick the insertion point for the detail view Tekla Structures creates the detail view and adds a detail mark in the original view.
111
112
Drawing Layout
Introduction
This chapter describes drawing layout and explains how to define it in Tekla Structures. To produce finalized drawings, you usually need to include a lot of other information, such as lists and tables, for example. You also need to specify paper size, scale, and perhaps the types of frames you want to use. This is what the layout is all about.
Audience
The sections Table layouts (p. 114) and Working with tables (p. 116) are primarily aimed at administrators who define drawing templates. They also contain introductory information that general users might find very useful. This chapter is divided into the following sections:
Contents
How to use this chapter
Introducing layouts (p. 113) Table layouts (p. 114) Working with tables (p. 116) Key plan (p. 120) Scale and location of drawing views (p. 123) Drawing size (p. 126)
If you are using predefined layouts, and they suit your purposes, you might choose to read Introducing layouts (p. 113), and then from Key plan (p. 120) onwards.
A layout connects a set of table layouts and a set of drawing sizes. Before you create a drawing, you must select a layout. Tekla Structures then selects the smallest defined drawing size which will fit the drawing views and the connected table layout. This tells Tekla Structures which elements to automatically include in your drawings. A layout defines which drawing tables to include and sets the rules for increasing the drawing size. Each layout has its own:
Table layouts
113
To define layouts, click Drawings & Reports > Drawing Settings > Drawing Layout... in the Model Editor. Tekla Structures displays the Layout dialog box. For more information, see Working with tables (p. 116). Tekla Structures includes several predefined layouts, which are connected to drawing types. Each drawing type, assembly, single-part, cast-unit, general arrangement, and multi-drawing, has its own layout. You can also define your own layouts.
Example
Using different layouts you can set assembly drawings to use A1 and A3 size drawing sheets, and single-part drawings to use A3 and A4 sheets. You can also use layouts to include a material list in assembly drawings, and not in general arrangement drawings. To use layouts in drawings, open the drawing properties dialog box. Click Layout... and select an option in the Layout list box. Tekla Structures saves the new layouts in separate files with the filename extension lay. Layout files are located in the model folder. You can copy them to other projects.
To create drawings without a layout, create and use a layout with an empty table layout.
See also
In Tekla Structures, we use the term tables to refer to various elements of the drawing layout, such as:
Tables (e.g. revision table) Title blocks Lists (e.g. part and bolt lists) General notes Key plans DWG/DXF files
Tables include information on drawing objects. If you change the model, Tekla Structures updates the contents of the affected drawings and tables.
Table layout
A table layout is a group of tables which appear together in a drawing of certain type and size. Table layouts define:
Which tables appear Where the tables are located How much space Tekla Structures leaves between the drawing frame and views
The example below illustrates the relationship between the table layout and drawing views. The drawing views are blue, and the elements of table layout are red.
114
Table layouts only define the background, not the number or location of the drawing views to include. You can use the same table layout with different drawing sizes, or give each drawing size its own table layout. For example, if the number of views changes in a drawing and Tekla Structures chooses a new drawing size, Tekla Structures may also choose another table layout.
Drawing frames and foldmarks are not included in table layout. You define them when you print drawings. See Drawing frames and foldmarks (p. 413). Defining margins and spaces in drawings (p. 115) Working with tables (p. 116) Key plan (p. 120) Scale and location of drawing views (p. 123) Drawing size (p. 126)
See also
115
6. 7.
See also
Table layouts (p. 114) Drawing frames and foldmarks (p. 413)
Select the tables you want to include. Define the location of each table in the table layout. Set the scale and transparency of each table. Define the distances between the tables.
116
Template Editor
Tekla Structures includes many predefined tables. You can also create your own tables and modify existing ones using the Template Editor (TplEd). To open the Template Editor, click Drawings & Reports > Template Editor... in the Model Editor or Tools > Template Editor... in the Drawing Editor. See also Template Editor Users Guide. Selecting tables to be included in the table layout (p. 117) Defining the location of tables in the table layout (p. 117) Defining distances between tables (p. 118) Setting table scales and transparency (p. 118) Replacing a table with another one (p. 119) Opening tables in Template Editor (p. 119)
See also
Open the Tables dialog box (Drawings & Reports > Drawing Settings > Drawing Layout > Table Layout > Tables...). On the Available tables list, double-click each table you want to include in the table layout. You can also use the arrow buttons to add and remove tables. Set the table properties as required. See Defining the location of tables in the table layout (p. 117) and Setting table scales and transparency (p. 118). Click Update. Click Apply or OK.
In the illustration below, the lower right corner of the drawing title (the table) is bound to the lower right corner of the drawing frame (the reference object).
To define the location of tables in a table layout: 1. 2. Open the Tables dialog box (Drawings & Reports > Drawing Settings > Drawing Layout > Table Layout > Tables...). Open the Tables dialog box.
117
3. 4.
Select a table from the Chosen tables list. Choose one of the table corners as its reference point, and select the checkbox in that corner. 5. In the Reference list box, select the reference object (i.e. another table or the drawing frame). 6. Choose the reference point of the reference object, and select the checkbox in the appropriate corner. 7. In the Vector between corners fields, define the horizontal and vertical distances of the table from the reference object. 8. Click Update. 9. Repeat steps 27 for all the tables on the Chosen tables list. 10. Click Apply or OK to save the table layout.
You can also position a table to the midpoint of a frame or table boundary by selecting two reference points, for example, the lower left and right corners.
If you do not use the right combinations of reference points for tables and binding objects, Tekla Structures may position drawing tables outside the drawing. Drawing frames and foldmarks (p. 413) Working with tables (p. 116) Selecting tables to be included in the table layout (p. 117) Setting table scales and transparency (p. 118)
See also
You can scale tables created with the Template Editor and DWG/DXF files to different sizes. Each table and DWG/DXF file in a table layout can have its own scale. The values you enter determine the size of the scaled object relative to the original.
118
Transparency
You can also define whether tables in drawings are transparent or not. A transparent table can overlap with another table, view, or drawing object. For example, if you use DWG/DXF drawing frames, you should make them transparent. Otherwise you will not be able to locate any other objects inside the frames. To make a table transparent, select the Transparent checkbox in the Tables dialog box. Working with tables (p. 116)
See also
When you delete a table from a table layout and replace it with a new one, you will need to define the location of the new table relative to the remaining tables. The new table does not automatically inherit the location of the deleted table. See Defining the location of tables in the table layout (p. 117). You should also check that the remaining tables do not use the deleted table as their reference. If they do and you delete the table, you cannot see any tables at all in the layout.
Checking references
4.
You can only open tables with templates created or saved in Template Editor version 3.2. or greater.
See also
Template attributes in System Manual contains a list of fields that can be used in templates. TplEd User's Guide explains how to use the Template Editor.
119
3. 4.
Do not add images of extensive size, as they update very slowly. The image may look different in the image editor than in the printout or in the exported DWG file. When you export the drawing to DWG, Tekla Structures copies the images in the same folder as the DWG file. If the image for some reason is not in the same folder, only the name of the image is displayed together with an empty frame instead of the image in the DWG. When you open the drawing that contains images inserted in the template, Tekla Structures first looks for the images from the ..\environment\common\symbols folder and then from the model folder.
120
Key plan Key plans are Tekla Structures drawings, or key plan drawings, which contain a drawing view or a DWG/DXF file.
See also
Drawing view as a key plan (p. 121) DWG/DXF as a key plan (p. 122) Adding a key plan to a drawing layout (p. 122)
Tekla Structures uses the scale of the key plan view in every drawing using it. In the drawing view properties, set the drawing view boundaries (Extrema) so that all parts are visible. Other drawing view properties also affect the key plan. If you set part and bolt marks to be visible in the key plan view, they will also be visible in the small key plan included in the drawing. Tekla Structures automatically includes the correct part when you insert the small key plan into the drawing.
121
You should not filter anything with not in drawings that will be used as key plans. Tekla Structures clears the not check boxes in the drawing filter automatically when the key plan is inserted into another drawing. Adding a key plan to a drawing layout (p. 122) DWG/DXF as a key plan (p. 122)
See also
In the Model Editor, click Drawings & Reports > Create General Arrangement
In the Options list box, select Empty drawing. Select the Open drawing checkbox. Click Create. Tekla Structures opens the Drawing Editor. Click View > Add DWG / DXF File..., and then locate the DWG/DXF file you want to use as the key plan. Click Apply or OK. Pick the top left corner point of the rectangle. Add text, lines, or other drawing objects as required. Click Drawing File > Save to save the drawing.
To add the key plan to a drawing layout, follow the instructions in Adding a key plan to a drawing layout (p. 122).
Do not create views in the key plan drawing if it already contains a DWG/DXF object.
See also
122
You cannot scale the key plan in the Tables dialog box. The properties of the key plan drawing view define the key plan scale and size.
7. 8.
Automatically scaled drawing views (p. 123) Location of views in drawings (p. 124) Drawing Properties (p. 235) Drawing view properties (p. 241) Drawing section view properties (p. 258) Defining which drawing views to create (p. 242) Adding section views to drawings (p. 259)
Specify exact scales for views. Let Tekla Structures automatically determine the appropriate scales (using the layout, included tables, and drawing size).
The following topics explain how to scale drawing views automatically. If you prefer certain drawing view scales for certain drawing sizes, see Defining exact drawing view scales (p. 242).
See also
Specifying drawing size (p. 127). Using autoscale (p. 123) Scale change mode (p. 124) Preferred size (p. 124)
Using autoscale
Having Tekla Structures automatically scale drawing views limits the size of the drawing. When you use Autoscale, Tekla Structures first tries to use the preferred scale, then the alternative scales. You define these in the drawing properties dialog box.
Preferred scale
To use Autoscale, select click Layout... > Scale > Autoscale > Yes.
You can define different preferred scales for main and section views. In the drawing properties dialog box, click View... (or Section view...) > Attributes > Scale and enter the scale.
123
Alternative scales
If you are using Autoscale and drawing views do not fit into a drawing using the preferred scale, Tekla Structures tries the alternative scales. You can define different scales for main and section views. In the drawing properties dialog box, click Layout... > Scale > Main views scale (or Section view scales) and enter the scales.
To list the alternative scales, enter the denominators of scales and separate them with spaces. For example, enter "5 10 15 20" for the scales 1/5, 1/10, 1/15, and 1/20.
main = section
Main view scales are smaller than or equal to section view scales.
Preferred size
Tekla Structures tries to use the preferred size as the maximum drawing size when it automatically scales drawing views. See also Both autoscaling and autosizing drawings (p. 129).
Setting the projection type (p. 124) Setting the section and end view location (p. 125) Including single part views in assembly drawing (p. 126) Expanding shortened parts (p. 126)
To set the projection type, click Layout in the drawing properties dialog box and go to the Other tab.
First angle (also referred to as European projection) Third angle (also referred to as American projection).
124
Example
Third-angle projection
125
Example
126
Specify exact sizes for drawings. Let Tekla Structures find appropriate drawing sizes (according to the layout, tables in it, and the drawing view scales).
If you prefer to use a specific drawing size rather than specific drawing view scales, read Specifying drawing size (p. 127). If you prefer to use specific drawing view scales rather than a specific drawing size, read Automatically sizing drawings (p. 128). See also Both autoscaling and autosizing drawings (p. 129).
The drawing size should always be smaller than the actual paper size to accommodate printer margins. For more information on paper sizes and print areas, see The printer catalog (p. 422). Specifying drawing size (p. 127) Automatically sizing drawings (p. 128) Defining fixed drawing sizes (p. 128) Defining calculated drawing sizes (p. 129) Both autoscaling and autosizing drawings (p. 129)
See also
The Drawing size and Scale tabs and steps 47 above only relate to single-part, assembly, and cast-unit drawings.
You can also have Tekla Structures find appropriate sizes for drawings, when the number, size, or location of drawing views may change and affect the drawing size. See Automatically sizing drawings (p. 128).
127
3. 4.
To fix the scales of drawing views, click the Scale tab and select Autoscale (No). Tekla Structures will use the preferred scales of the main and section views. See also Defining exact drawing view scales (p. 242). Click Apply or OK.
The Drawing size and Scale tabs and step 3 above only relate to singlepart, assembly, and cast-unit drawings.
See also
Drawing sizes
For more information on the drawing sizes, see:
Defining fixed drawing sizes (p. 128) Defining calculated drawing sizes (p. 129).
If you decide to use both calculated and fixed sizes, Tekla Structures selects the smallest of the suitable drawing sizes. For information on using a specific drawing size, see Specifying drawing size (p. 127). See also Both autoscaling and autosizing drawings (p. 129).
Table layout
If Tekla Structures changes the size of the drawing, it may also need to change the table layout to adapt to the new drawing size. It will then use another appropriate table layout within the same layout specified in the drawing properties dialog box. See also Table layouts (p. 114).
128
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
In the Model Editor, click Drawings & Reports > Drawing Settings > Drawing Layout.... Select the layout and click Fixed sizes.... Select a fixed size on the list. To create a new size, enter its name and click Add. Enter the width and height. Select the table layout. Click Update. Repeat steps 36 for each fixed size. Click Apply or OK.
Use fixed sizes when you print drawings to small (A4 and A3) print devices. Single-part and assembly drawings also typically use fixed drawing sizes.
See also
Automatically sizing drawings (p. 128) Defining calculated drawing sizes (p. 129)
In the Model Editor, click Drawings & Reports > Drawing Settings > Drawing Layout.... Select the layout and click Calculated sizes....
Using Increasing step to define the interval by which Tekla Structures increases the drawing size when it needs to. This can be set individually for drawing width and height. You can also define the maximum size of the drawing. If the drawing exceeds the width or height limit you set here, Tekla Structures uses an oversize sheet with no table layout. You can connect a layout to drawings which meet one of the following size criteria:
Size A4 for drawings exactly this size Size A3 for drawings exactly this size Height = A3 for drawings the same height as an A3 sheet (=297 mm) Height > A3 for drawings with a larger height than A3.
For each size, Tekla Structures makes the table layouts available depending on the layout you select.
See also
Automatically sizing drawings (p. 128) Defining fixed drawing sizes (p. 128)
129
2. 3.
Fix the drawing size. Scale up drawing views as far as drawing contents fit. Use alternative scales for main and section views, and the drawing size fixed in step 2.
Preferred size should be equal to one of the fixed drawing sizes of the layout.
130
Dimensioning
There is a multitude of options for creating and controlling dimensions in Tekla Structures. Very often modifying one dimension setting affects how other settings work. You may want to experiment with these settings.
See also
Dimension basics (p. 131) Part dimensions (p. 137) Bolt dimensions (p. 142) Position dimensions (p. 145) Dimensioning nested assemblies (p. 164) Reinforcement dimensions (p. 157) Using check dimensions (p. 164) Controlling dimensions (p. 166) Dimension appearance and location (p. 197) Automatic dimensioning of general arrangement drawings (p. 176) Dimension reference (p. 215)
Select Drawings & Reports > Drawing Settings and the desired drawing type to open the drawing properties dialog box. Click the Dimensioning... button to define which dimensions Tekla Structures creates automatically. Click the Dimension... button to define how Tekla Structures shows dimensions in drawings.
Dimension types (p. 132) Automatic dimensioning (p. 133) Manual dimensioning (p. 133)
131
Dimension types
Tekla Structures includes the following dimension types:
Image
Name
Relative Absolute Relative and absolute US absolute
Description Point to point dimensions. Dimensions from a common starting point. Combination of point to point and common start point. Dimensions from a common starting point, which include a running dimension mark (RD). Similar to US absolute, but it changes short dimensions to relative. Similar to Absolute, but it changes short dimensions to relative. Similar to Relative and absolute, but it places the relative dimensions above the absolute. Creates an elevation dimension at a picked point. Only available for manual dimensions in the Drawing Editor.
US absolute 2 Absolute plus short relatives Absolute plus all relatives above the absolutes Elevation
To make internal and shape dimensions relative, use the variables XS_NO_RELATIVE_SHAPE_DIMENSIONS and XS_SINGLE_NO_RELATIVE_SHAPE_DIMENSIONS.
US absolute 2 changes the dimension line type to relative if the dimension text is too long to fit the dimension line. The variables XS_USABSOLUTE_TO_RELATIVE_LIMIT and XS_USABSOLUTE2_TO_RELATIVE_LENGTH_FACTOR control the limit when the dimension type is changed.
132
Automatic dimensioning
Use the drawing properties dialog box to set up dimensions for cast-unit, assembly, and singlepart drawings. Two buttons open the dialog boxes for Dimension Properties and Dimensioning Properties.
drawing. For more information, see Dimension appearance and location (p. 197).
Dimension Properties controls how Tekla Structures presents the dimensions in the
For more information on drawing properties, see Drawing Properties (p. 235).
Manual dimensioning
You can use several tools to modify automatically generated dimensions and add new dimensions to them. All these commands are available in the Dimensioning menu in the Drawing Editor.
Command Dimensioning > Edit Dimensions > Add/ Remove Dimension Point (p. 228) Dimensioning > Edit Dimensions > Add/ Remove Dimension Point (p. 228)
Edit Dimensions > Flip Outside Dimension
Icon
Place the outside dimension on the other side of the extension line.
133
Command Dimensioning > Review Dimensions > Remove Dimension Point Invalidity Symbol (p. 229) > Single Dimensioning > Review Dimensions > Remove Dimension Point Invalidity Symbol (p. 229) > All Dimensioning > Review Dimensions > Remove Dimension Change Symbol (p. 230)> Single Dimensioning > Review Dimensions > Remove Dimension Change Symbol (p. 230) > All Dimensioning > Review Dimensions > Check Dimension Point Validity (p. 229) >
Single
Icon
Description Deletes a single dimension point invalidity symbol without deleting the dimension line.
Deletes all red dimension point invalidity symbols without deleting the dimension line.
Dimensioning > Review Dimensions > Check Dimension Point Validity (p. 229) > All Dimensioning > Edit Dimensions > Set Dimension Start Point (p. 229) Dimensioning > Edit Dimensions > Combine Dimension Lines (p. 227) Dimensioning > Edit Dimensions > Link Dimension Lines (p. 228) Dimensioning > Edit Dimensions > Unlink Dimension Lines (p. 228) Dimensioning > Add Horizontal Dimension (p. 223) Dimensioning > Add Vertical Dimension (p. 224)
Combines a group of two or more parallel dimension lines into one line.
134
Command Dimensioning > Add Orthogonal Dimension (p. 224) Dimensioning > Add Parallel Dimension (p. 224) Dimensioning > Add Perpendicular Dimension (p. 224) Dimensioning > Add Free Dimension (p. 224) Dimensioning > Add Curved Dimension > With Orthogonal Reference Lines (p. 225) Dimensioning > Add Curved Dimension > With Radial Reference Lines (p. 225) Dimensioning > Add Curved Dimension > With Orthogonal Reference Lines (p. 225) Dimensioning > Add Radial Dimension (p. 226) Dimensioning > Add Angular Dimension (p. 226) Dimensioning > Add Dimensions for all Parts (p. 227)
Icon
Description Creates an orthogonal dimension in the y or x direction. Creates a dimension parallel to a line defined using two points. Creates a dimension perpendicular to a line defined using two points. Creates a dimension parallel to the line between any two picked points. Creates a curved dimension line between two picked points.
Dimension planes
You can define how Tekla Structures dimensions different profiles in drawings. For example, you can have Tekla Structures always dimension round bars to the middle of the profile and large I profiles to the top. To define dimension settings, you need to use a dimension planes table. This is a text file (dim_planes_table.txt) that you can edit using any text editor, for example Notepad. It is located in the \environments\*environment*\profil folder. To use the table, set the variable XS_PART_DIMENSION_PLANES_TABLE as follows in Tools > Options > Advanced Options... > Dimensioning: Parts:
XS_PART_DIMENSION_PLANES_TABLE=%XS_PROFDB%\dim_planes_table.txt
This variable defines the path to the part dimension planes table. To use the new settings in drawings, you need to restart Tekla Structures and recreate the drawings. Changing the file does not automatically update existing drawings.
135
Here is an example of a dimension planes table: dim_planes_table.txt FLANGE ProfType,MaxSize, middle,right, left,
======================================================= = 1, 7, 300.0, TRUE*, FALSE, FALSE, -1.0, TRUE*, FALSE, FALSE, FALSE, TRUE*, TRUE TRUE*, FALSE, FALSE
The line beginning with 1 means that Tekla St ructures always dimensions I-profiles (ProfTyp = 1) smaller than 300 mm (MaxSize = 300) to the middle of the flange and to the right edge of the web, no matter how the part was created. The line beginning with 7 means that Tekla Structures always dimensions round tubes (ProfTyp = 7) to the middle of the profile The ProfTyp numbers run in the same order as the profiles in the Profile catalog:
1 = I-profile 2 = L-profile 3 = Z-profile 4 = U-profile 5 = plate 6 = round bar 7 = round tube 8 = square pipe 9 = C-profile 10 = T-profile 15 = ZZ-profile 16 = CC-profile 17 = CW-profile 51 = polygon_plate etc.
Use a value of -1.0 in the MaxSize column to indicate that there is no size limit for the profile. The asterisk after TRUE indicates it is the default value.
The variable XS_I_PROFILE_CENTER also affects how Tekla Structures dimensions the I profiles.
To prevent Tekla Structures from automatically displaying the profile dimensions of concrete parts in cast-unit drawings, use the variable XS_DO_NOT_CREATE_PROFILE_DIMENSIONS_FOR_CONC RETE.
136
Topics
Overall dimensions (p. 137) Internal dimensions (p. 139) Shape dimensions (p. 139) Radius and bevel dimensions (p. 140) Unfolding dimensions (p. 141) XS_USE_LONG_POINTS_IN_DIMENSIONING
Overall dimensions
Example of overall dimensions:
137
None
Creates overall dimensions in all views (The Assembly part overall dimension settings have some effect on these options)
Length only
None
Creates the part mark on the dimension line between the outermost bolts To define the contents of the part mark separately for assembly and single part drawings, set the following variables: XS_DIMENSION_PART_MARK_CONTENT_IN_ASSEMBLY
138
XS_DIMENSION_PART_MARK_CONTENT_STRICT_POSITION XS_DIMENSION_PART_MARK_CONTENT_IN_SINGLE
Internal dimensions
To dimension the secondary parts connected to the main part using internal dimensioning, in the assembly or cast-unit drawing properties dialog box, click Dimensioning... > Part dimensions > Internal and select one of the following options:
None
Necessary
Creates only the dimensions necessary for assembling the parts. See also Recognizable distance (p. 174).
All
Shape dimensions
Use shape dimensions to dimension notches and other cuts in the main part.
In the assembly or cast-unit drawing properties dialog box, click Dimensioning... > Part dimensions > Main part shape (On).
139
In the single-part drawing properties dialog box, click Dimensioning... > Part dimensions > Shape dimensions (On).
By default, Tekla Structures automatically draws shape dimensions on both ends of a beam, even if the ends are symmetrical.
To indicate when to leave out one of the symmetrical shape dimensions, set the variable XS_EQUAL_SHAPE_DIMENSIONS_TO_BOTH_ENDS_LIMIT to the desired part length.
Single part
You can switch shape dimensions of single part views on or off using these variables: On (default): set XS_SINGLE_PART_SHAPE=1 Off: set XS_SINGLE_PART_SHAPE=0 Tekla Structures automatically creates radius dimensions for curved chamfers in single-part drawings when you use shape dimensions.
To create radius dimensions for curved chamfers and round holes in the main part, click Dimensioning... > Part dimensions > Main part radius dimensions (On). This option is available only the Main part shape dimensions switch is on.
To dimension the round hole center point, set the variable XS_CREATE_ROUND_HOLE_DIMENSIONS to TRUE.
Bevel dimension
To create linear dimensions of a bevel, click Dimensioning... > Part dimensions > Bevel dimension (On). See also Dimensioning > Add Angular Dimension (p. 226)
140
Bevel angle
To define which side of a bevel to dimension, click Dimensioning... > Part dimensions >
Angle of beam Angle of cut See also Selecting angle (p. 201).
Unfolding dimensions
In single-part drawings, you can unfold polybeams and bent plates created using the Create polybeam command. To do this, open the single-part drawing properties dialog box, and click View... > Attributes > Unfolded (Yes).
141
To control the dimensions Tekla Structures produces using this option, set the following variables in the List of variables dialog box:
XS_DRAW_BENDING_LINE_DIMENSIONS_IN_UNFOLDING=TRUE
For angle text dimensions, shows the interior angle instead of the exterior angle
XS_UNFOLDING_ANGLE_DIM_FORMAT=1
Sets the format for angle text. These are the same values as on the General tab of the dimension properties dialog box. See also Format (p. 203).
XS_UNFOLDING_ANGLE_DIM_PRECISION=10
Accuracy of the angle text. These are the same values as on the General tab of the dimension properties dialog box. See also Precision (p. 203).
142
Topics
Bolt internal dimensions (p. 143) GOL, C/C, GAGE (p. 144) Using check dimensions (p. 164) (Distances between extreme bolts) Preferred dim side (p. 206) Combining bolt groups (p. 172)
Internal
143
To create the dimensions, you have to add certain elements to a bolt or hole mark. In drawing properties dialog box, click Bolt mark... > Content > Available elements and select one of the elements:
144
The following variables control the names and format of the mark elements: XS_GAGE_OF_OUTSTANDING_LEG_STRING=GOL%%VALUE%% Sets the format of the element Gage of outstanding leg. XS_CENTER_TO_CENTER_DISTANCE_IN_ONE_PART_STRING=GAGE =
%%VALUE%%=GAGE = %%VALUE%%
Sets the format of the element Center-to-center distance, when the bolts are in the same part (e.g. in a column or beam flange).
XS_CENTER_TO_CENTER_DISTANCE_IN_TWO_PARTS_STRING=C/C =
%%VALUE%%
Sets the format of the element Center-to-center distance, when the bolts are in different parts (e.g. in a pair of clip angles).
145
See also
Position bolts to and Position parts to (p. 147) Secondary part (p. 149) Embedded objects (p. 150) Skew secondary parts (p. 150) Changing the direction of running dimensions (p. 151) Main part bolt position (p. 151) Main part skew position (p. 152) Skew position (p. 153) Centered parts and bolts (p. 153) Elevation dimensions (p. 155) Leading or trailing edge (p. 157)
146
None
Main part
Working points
Creates the dimensions between the work points, such as the intersections of main and neighbor part reference lines. See also Using check dimensions (p. 164) and XS_WORKING_POINTS_VALID_ALSO_OUTSIDE_PART.
147
Both
Uses the main part and working points to create the dimensions. To dimension the position of parts to the edge that is nearest to the neighbor part, set XS_PART_POSITION_TO_EDGE_NEAREST_TO_NEIGHBOUR to TRUE in Tools > Options > Advanced Options... > Dimensioning: Parts. The default is FALSE.
148
Secondary part
You can create position dimensions for locating the secondary part. With position dimensions you can represent the bolt hole location or the edge of the secondary part. In assembly drawing properties dialog box, click Dimensioning... > Position dimensions > Secondary part and select one of the options:
None
No position dimensions
By bolts
By parts
By both
149
Embedded objects
You can create position dimensions for locating embedded objects in cast-unit drawings. The embedded objects are custom components attached to the cast unit. In cast-unit drawing properties dialog box, click Dimensioning... > Position dimensions > Embedded objects and select one of the options:
As secondary objects
Dimensions embedded objects in cast-unit drawings the same way as secondary parts.
By reference points
Dimensions embedded objects to their reference point, which is the origin of the custom component.
Running dimensions start from the intersection of the main and secondary part (=work point) Dimensions aligned with the neighboring part To create the dimensions in the picture above, select the following options in the assembly drawing properties dialog box: 1. 2. 3.
Secondary part (By bolt) Secondary part dimension direction (Neighbor part) Position from (Work points)
150
1. 2. 3.
Double-click the background of a drawing to display the drawing properties dialog box. Click Dimensioning... On the Position dimensions tab, select Yes in the Reversed direction for running dimensions list box.
By default, Tekla Structures does not create these dimensions. The examples below shows a maximum bolt dimension of 40:
151
Example
See also
See also
152
Skew position
The skew position defines how Tekla Structures dimensions skewed secondary part positions. In the assembly or cast-unit drawing properties dialog box, click Dimensioning... > Position dimensions > Skew position and select an option:
None
No dimensions
Angle
Creates an angle dimension for the secondary part. For more information on appearance, see Selecting angle (p. 201).
Dimensions
Defines how Tekla Structures dimensions centered parts. The options are:
153
Option
Internal
Example
Position
None
Centered bolt
Defines how Tekla Structures dimensions centered bolt groups. Centered bolt overrides the Secondary part bolt internal option for centered bolts. This only applies to bolts located centrally on the part. The options are:
154
Option
Internal
Example
Position
None
Creates no centered bolt dimensions. Using this option, you can omit the dimensions of symmetrically placed bolt groups, even if all the other bolt groups are dimensioned.
Elevation dimensions
To create elevation dimensions for the start and end points of parts: 1. 2. In the drawing properties dialog box, click Dimensioning... Go to the Position dimensions tab, and select On in the Elevation dimensions list box. Tekla Structures creates the elevation dimensions:
155
Skew parts
Tekla Structures creates elevation dimensions for skew parts if the parts are in the same position in the drawing as they are in the model (the coordinate system must be set to the model). For more information on the coordinate system, see Defining part orientation in drawing views (p. 247). If you are using local, oriented, or brace coordinate systems, Tekla Structures does not draw the elevation dimensions for skewed parts by default. If you want to create an elevation dimension, you must set the variable XS_DRAW_SKEWED_ELEVATIONS to TRUE in Tools > Options > Advanced options... > Dimensioning: Parts.
Tekla Structures dimensions elevations relative to a reference point, which you can change. For example, if the elevation is 5000 mm, and you make the reference point 200, the elevation changes to 4800 mm. To change the reference point used to dimension elevations: 1. 2. 3. 4. Go to Drawing File > Drawing Properties... Click View... On the Attributes tab, select Specified from the Datum point for elevations list box. Enter a specific value in the Datum level field.
To measure reference points relative to the view plane, select View plane from the Datum point for elevations list box.
Mark prefix
Tekla Structures uses a language dependent variable in elevation dimensions. In the English version the default is EL. You can change the default by editing the following line in the file TeklaStructures/*version*/messages/dim_operation.ail:
string dim_operation_dim_elevation_prefix{ entry = ("enu", "EL");};
156
To dimension all plates to the leading edge (see the illustration below): 1. Disable the variable XS_USE_PLATE_SIDE_POSITIONING.:
2. 3.
51,
Click Tools > Options to open the Advanced options dialog box. In the left pane, select Dimensioning: Parts. In the right pane, clear the Value field for XS_USE_PLATE_SIDE_POSITIONING
To dimension plates to the leading edge of beams, set the variable XS_PART_POSITION_TO_LEADING_EDGE=TRUE. Plates for columns are dimensioned to the top of the part by default. To dimension plates to the leading edge of columns, add the following lines to the dim_planes_table.txt:
-1.0, FALSE, FALSE, FALSE, FALSE, FALSE, FALSE
To dimension all plates to the trailing edge: 1. 2. Switch off the variable XS_USE_PLATE_SIDE_POSITIONING in the initialization file (rem set XS_USE_PLATE_SIDE_POSITIONING=1). Switch off the variable XS_PART_POSITION_TO_LEADING_EDGE=TRUE.
Model
To dimension plates using their original reference points, switch on the variable XS_USE_PLATE_SIDE_POSITIONING.
Tekla Structures dimensions plates using their original reference points. So, if you have created one plate from left to right and another from right to left, Tekla Structures dimensions them differently in drawings.
157
See also
Reinforcement dimension marks (p. 158) Creating automatic reinforcement dimensions (p. 159) Reinforcement dimensioning properties (p. 221) Adding reinforcement dimensions and dimension marks manually (p. 161) Adding closing dimensions manually (p. 163)
158
See also
Creating automatic reinforcement dimensions (p. 159) Reinforcement dimensioning properties (p. 221) Adding reinforcement dimensions and dimension marks manually (p. 161) Adding closing dimensions manually (p. 163)
1.
If you have the drawing open in the Drawing Editor, double-click the drawing background to display the Cast Unit Drawing Properties dialog box. If you are creating a cast unit drawing in Model Editor, select Drawings & Reports > Drawing Settings > Cast Unit Drawing. Click Dimensioning... and go to the Reinforcement dimensions tab. To create the dimensions, select Dimensions for reinforcing bar groups > On. Selecting On activates the other options on this tab.
2. 3.
159
4.
Adjust other dimension options: a Select the location for the dimension mark from the Mark location list box. Option b creates a non-tagged dimension mark and the rest of the options tagged dimension marks. To edit mark contents, click Edit mark contents. The Dimension Mark Content Properties dialog box is displayed. Select the desired elements one by one from the Available elements list and add them in the Elements in mark list by clicking Add. Click OK to save your selections. Select Close dimensions to binding geometry > Yes to add closing dimensions to the edge of the part. If you select No, only the reinforcing bar group is dimensioned.
5.
If you are editing the drawing properties in Drawing Editor, click Modify . If you are creating the drawing in Model Editor, click Apply and select Drawings & Reports > Create Cast Unit Drawing to create the cast unit drawing.
Example
The settings that you have defined in the Cast Unit - Dimension Properties dialog box also apply to reinforcing bar group dimensions.
160
See also
Reinforcement dimensions (p. 157) Adding reinforcement dimensions and dimension marks manually (p. 161) Reinforcement dimensioning properties (p. 221)
To add dimensions and tagged dimension marks to the reinforcing bar groups: 1. 2. 3. 4. In the cast unit drawing, select the reinforcing bar group you want to dimension. Right-click the reinforcing bar group and select Add Mark > Tagged Dimension Mark from the pop-up menu. Double-click the created dimension to display the Dimension Properties dialog box. The default content of the dimension marks is defined in a standard file. Load the standard file tagged_dimension_mark and go to the Marks tab.
161
5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
Click the ... button next to <<Mark>> to adjust the contents of the upper right tag. In the Dimension Right Upp er Corner Tag Mark Properties dialog box, select the elements to include and click OK. In the Dimension Properties dialog box, make other property changes on other tab pages, if necessary. If you want to save the settings in the standard file tagged_dimension_mark, click Save. Click Modify to apply the changes in the selected dimension.
To add dimensions and dimension marks without tags to the reinforcement: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. In the cast unit drawing, select the reinforcing bar group you want to dimension. Right-click the reinforcing bar group and select Add Mark > Dimension Mark from the pop-up menu. Double-click the created dimension to display the Dimension Properties dialog box to. The default content of the dimension marks is defined in a standard file. Load the standard file dimension_mark. Go to the Marks tab and change the selections, if necessary. Make other property changes on other tab pages, if necessary. If you want to save the settings in the standard file to save the settings in the standard file dimension_mark, click Save. Click Modify to apply the changes in the selected dimension.
162
See also
Create a cast unit drawing containing reinforcing bar groups. To add closing dimensions: 1. 2. 3. In the cast-unit drawing, select the dimension line. Right-click the dimension line and select Add dimension point from the pop-up menu. Select the points where you want to add closing dimensions.
Usage
See also
XS_REBAR_DIMENSION_MARK_MANUAL_CLOSE_TO_GEOMETRY
163
3.
information about mark contents, see Adjusting dimension mark contents (p. 211).
To change the appearance of the dimension line, double-click it to display the Dimension Properties dialog box. You can also modify the mark contents on the Marks tab. For more
4.
You can drag a reinforcement dimension line out of the reinforcement bar group. When you do this, Tekla Structures draws a dashed line from the reinforcing bar to the dimension line. If the new location is in the reinforcement area, the reinforcing bar mark follows the intersection of the reinforcement bar and reinforcement dimension line.
To define whether to measure parts in sub-assemblies, use the options in Dimension parts inside sub-assemblies:
Yes: Creates internal dimensions for parts inside sub-assemblies. No: Does not create internal dimensions for parts inside sub-assemblies.
To define the position from which the sub-assembly is measured, use the options in Measure sub-assembly position from:
None: Does not measure the sub-assembly position. Bolt: Measures the position of the sub-assembly from the bolts. If bolts are not included in
the sub-assembly or if it is not possible to measure the position from bolts, Tekla Structures measures the sub-assembly position from the reference point. sub-assembly.
Extrema points: Measures the position of the sub-assembly from the bounding box of the Reference point: Measures the position of the sub-assembly from the reference point.
164
Work points
Tekla Structures uses work points to create check dimensions. Work points can be: 1. 2. The points between which the part was originally created The intersection point of the partsreference lines
Reference line location depends on part position depth (set in the part properties dialog box). If it is middle, the reference line is the center line, if front the line is located in part front edge, etc. Check dimensions usually in finer text than other dimensions. To define their appearance, click the Dimension button in the drawing properties dialog box and go to the Advanced tab. This is an illustration of check dimensions:
Appearance
Mark A
Field; Value
Main part work points;
Yes
Extreme bolts;
Extreme bolts
165
Mark D
Field; Value
Extreme bolts;
Yes F Horizontal and vertical dimensions between the work points in a skewed brace
Dimensioning Position dimensions Main part skew position;
Yes
See also
Using knock off dimensions (p. 166) Setting Advanced dimension options (p. 213).
To create knock off dimensions, click Dimensioning... >Part dimensions > Knock-off To set the style of knock off dimensions, click Dimension... > Advanced and select a Knock off dimension type. See also Knock off dimension types (p. 215).
Combining dimensions (p. 167) Combination distances (p. 170) Combining bolt groups (p. 172) Grouping identical objects to the same dimension line (p. 173)
166
Forward offset (p. 173) Recognizable distance (p. 174) Closing dimensions (p. 175)
Combining dimensions
You can combine separate dimensions into a longer dimension line.
Automatic dimensioning
In the drawing properties dialog box, click Dimensioning... > General > Combine dimensions and select the level of combination.
The larger the number, the more Tekla Structures combines the dimensions.
Examples
The first figure below shows the part position and internal dimensions not combined. The second figure shows the internal and the position dimension combined, using the Combine dim lines option.
167
Bolt group internal dimensions and edge distance dimensions not combined
No option
The No option prevents dimensions from being combined.
168
First option
The first option (1) combines the position dimensions of parts with the internal dimensions of parts, and the bolt group internal dimensions with bolt edge distances. Bolt position dimensions are not combined with bolt internal dimensions.
Second option
The second option (2) combines the position dimensions of parts with part internal dimensions and the bolt group internal dimensions. Bolt internal dimensions are combined with bolt position dimensions. Edge distances are shown separately.
Third option
The third option (3) combines the bolt internal dimensions and position dimensions in the same dimension line.
169
Fourth option
The fourth option (4) combines bolt group position dimensions with part position dimensions. Part and bolt internal dimensions are not combined with this option, but bolt internal dimensions are combined with bolt edge distances.
Fifth option
The fifth option (5) combines internal dimensions and the position dimension of bolt groups where there are several bolt groups.
4.5 option
The combine option type 4.5 for dimensions uses combination type 5 for main part and combination type 4 for secondary parts.
Combination distances
To define the distance for combining dimensions, open the drawing properties dialog box and click Dimensioning... > General and set the distance values for the following fields:
Distance
170
Another criterion for combining internal dimensions. If the distance between two details is less than the minimum distance, Tekla Structures combines the dimensions.
171
You can combine bolt group internal dimensions, and display them in the format 3*60 or 3*60=180, or have single dimensions. Open the drawing properties dialog box, click Dimensioning... > Bolt dimensions > Combine bolt dimensions and select a format. To define the minimum number of bolt dimensions that Tekla Structures combines, enter a number in the Minimum number to combine field. You can change the @ character using the variable XS_COMBINED_BOLT_DIM_CHARACTER.
172
To group identical objects to the same dimension line: 1. 2. 3. In the drawing, right-click and select Properties... from the pop-up menu to display the properties dialog box of the drawing. In the drawing properties dialog box, click Dimensioning... In the dimensioning properties dialog box, go to the Dimension grouping tab. Set the properties as required:
Activate dimension grouping: Select the objects which you want to group.
conditions.
Grouping properties: Select the elements by which you define the identical
Automatic tagging: Select the appropriate option to include information to the dimension line tags automatically.
To define the information displayed in the dimension line tags: 1. 2. 3. 4. Double-click the dimension line for the tag you want to modify. In the Dimension properties dialog box, click the Marks tab. In Tags, replace the << Automatic >> value with the required text. Click Modify.
Forward offset
You can change the location of a dimension line by using forward offset. The Forward offset defines the search distance for the base point of a dimension. If Tekla Structures does not find a base point (corner) within the Forward offset search distance, it uses an edge point. To set the forward offset, open the drawing properties dialog box, click Dimensioning... > General > Forward offset and enter a value for the search distance.
173
You will find that the setting Dimensioning... > Position dimensions > Centered bolt will have an effect on how the dimension is displayed.
Forward offset greater than the 1-8 dimension to the hole group. Forward offset distance set to a smaller value.
Recognizable distance
In some cases it is important to look at the asymmetrical relationship of parts, so that an asymmetric secondary part is correctly connected to a main part. In part dimensioning or bolt internal dimensioning, you can use Recognizable distance to have asymmetry reflected in dimensioning. If the asymmetry is smaller than the distance you enter here, Tekla Structures represents it using a dimension.
Setting the distance distance and then enter a distance.
In the drawing properties dialog box, click Dimensioning... > General > Recognizable
174
Closing dimensions
You can close dimension lines using dimensioning settings.
In the drawing properties dialog box, click Dimensioning... > General > Close dimension, and select an option:
No does not close dimensions In X only closes dimensions in the x direction and leaves others open All closes all dimensions
This setting is part-specific and is not relevant to profile shape dimensions. See also Shape dimensions (p. 139).
175
To manage how Tekla Structures closes short dimensions, click Dimensioning... > General > Close short dimensions. With the Yes option Tekla Structures closes short dimension(s). With the No option the open dimension is the middle one rather than the short end dimension. See the illustration below.
Close short dimensions = No When you leave short dimensions open, Tekla Structures leaves out the longer dimension line in dimension lines that contain two dimensions. If dimension lines contain three dimensions, Tekla Structures leaves out the middle one. This option does not affect dimension lines with more than three dimensions.
176
To adjust the grid line dimensions: 1. 2. 3. Click the Dimensioning button in the General Arrangement Drawing Properties dialog box. Go to the Grid tab in the General - Dimensioning Properties dialog box. Set Grid line dimensions to Off if you do not want the drawing to have grid line dimensions. Set Grid line dimensions to On to have grid line dimensions in the drawing. See below for an example of grid line dimensions.
177
Overall dimensions
To adjust the overall grid dimensions: 1. 2. 3. Click the Dimensioning button in the General Arrangement Drawing Properties dialog box. Go to the Grid tab in the General - Dimensioning Properties dialog box. Set Overall dimensions to Off if you do not want the drawing to have overall dimensions. Set Overall dimensions to On to have overall dimensions in the drawing. See below for an example of overall dimensions.
178
To adjust the horizontal grid dimension positioning: 1. 2. 3. Click the Dimensioning button in the General Arrangement Drawing Properties dialog box. Go to the Grid tab in the General - Dimensioning Properties dialog box. Use the setting Horizontal > Left, Right or Both to control where Tekla Structures positions vertical grid line dimensions in the horizontal direction. Below is an example of Horizontal > Left.
179
180
To adjust the vertical grid dimension positioning: 1. 2. 3. Click the Dimensioning button in the General Arrangement Drawing Properties dialog box. Go to the Grid tab in the General - Dimensioning Properties dialog box. Use the setting Vertical > Above, Below or Both control where Tekla Structures positions horizontal grid line dimensions in the vertical direction Below is and example of Vertical > Above.
181
182
See also
Adjusting maximum leader line length (p. 183) Dimensioning parts not entirely in the view (p. 184) Adjusting the maximum number of outside dimensions (p. 185) Using object group dimensioning rules in defining the dimensioned parts (p. 186) Adjusting part dimension position (p. 188) Adding automatic text tags to part dimension lines (p. 196)
183
4.
Set a value for the Inside dimensions option if you want the inside dimension lines to take the maximum leader line length from the part reference point. See below for an example:
184
185
186
In this example, we created several beam groups, one for each beam size to be dimensioned. In the drawing, the different beams are dimensioned on different dimension lines as follows:
See also
187
In the General Arrangement Drawing Properties dialog box, click Dimensioning. Go to the Parts tab. Select the desired value in the columns Positioning, Horizontal position and Vertical position, see below for details.
Option
No dimensions Inside grid
Description Does not create dimensions to the parts. Dimensions to parts are created next to or near the parts being dimensioned. All part dimensions are placed inside the grid when the parts are inside the grid. Where the parts are in the end bay and the end which is being dimensioned to is next to the outside, then the dimension will still be outside, even if you have selected Inside grid.
Dimensions to parts are created and positioned outside the grid. Dimensions to parts are created and positioned either inside or outside the grid depending on the part position, in conjunction with the maximum number of outside dimensions. You must use the Either option if you define the Maximum number of outside dimensions, so that Tekla Structures can position dimensions inside the grid when the maximum number of dimensions is reached outside the grid.
188
189
Horizontal position
Option
Left side Right side Distributed to both sides
Description All dimensions to horizontal parts are positioned to the left of the grid. All dimensions to horizontal parts are positioned to the right of the grid. All dimensions to horizontal parts are positioned to the grid nearest the part they are dimensioning.
190
191
192
Vertical position
Option
Above Below Distributed to both sides
Description All dimensions to vertical parts are positioned to the top of the grid. All dimensions to vertical parts are positioned to the bottom of the grid. All dimensions to vertical parts are positioned to the grid nearest the part they are dimensioning.
Example of Above:
193
Example of Below:
194
195
Before you can add the text tags, first create the object groups and add the object group dimension rules. For more information on doing this, see Using object group dimensioning rules in defining the dimensioned parts (p. 186) in the online help. 1. 2. 3. In the general arrangement drawing properties dialog box, click Dimensioning and go to the Parts tab. In the Tag column, enter the texts that you want to display for the different object groups. Click Modify.
Usage
Example
196
197
Use Save to save your settings as the standard ones. If you need to vary your standard settings for a particular project, make the changes and use Save as. Use a unique name for these settings. Select the name of a saved set of properties from the list box and click Load to use those settings.
See also
Accessing dimension settings (p. 199) Selecting the dimension types (p. 200) Selecting angle (p. 201) Selecting the type of curved dimension (p. 202) Setting the dimension format (p. 202) Placing dimensions (p. 204) Aligning sloped dimension text (p. 207) Adjusting dimension appearance (p. 207) Adjusting dimension mark settings (p. 211)
198
To access automatic dimension settings, open the drawing properties dialog box in the Model Editor and click Dimension....
To access the settings for manual dimensions, open the drawing in the Drawing Editor, and click Dimensioning > Dimension Properties to open the Dimension Properties dialog box.
See also
Selecting the dimension types (p. 200) Setting the dimension format (p. 202) Creating short extension lines (p. 200)
199
Selecting angle (p. 201) Selecting the type of curved dimension (p. 202) Placing dimensions (p. 204)
Relative Shows linear distances or length Absolute Shows the linear distance from an origin point to the dimensioned edge, hole, etc.
No
Select Short extension line > Yes option to create extension lines all the same length:
Yes
Use the option On grid lines only to use the short extension line automatically if a dimension line falls on a grid line. Elsewhere the extension line will be as usual.
200
Selecting angle
In the Dimension Properties dialog box, select the type of angle to use. The Angle defines the type of angle measurement Tekla Structures displays. Select among the following options:
201
Image
Description Shows the angle dimensions in degrees on side Shows the angle dimensions in dimension at angle vertex Shows the angle dimensions using a triangle
More information
You can also set the Triangle base length. This controls the base dimension shown for bevel dimensions.
Bevel dimensions (Radius and bevel dimensions (p. 140)) Skew position (Skew position (p. 153)) Skewed bolt groups (unless XS_NO_BOLT_ANGLE_DIMENSIONS is set), see Bolt internal dimensions (p. 143)
To display the length of the arc, select Distance (the dimension has orthogonal reference lines). To display the angle in degrees, select Angle (the dimension has radial reference lines).
Select the units to use from the options in the list box, as shown below:
Field
automatic mm cm m foot - inch
Description Uses the units defined in model millimeters centimeters meters feet and inches Inches are converted into integer feet, and the remaining inches are shown in inches.
202
Field
cm / m
Description centimeters and meters Dimensions under 100 cm are shown in centimeters, and dimensions above 100 cm are shown in meters. Millimeters are shown as superscript. For more information on defining the size of the superscript, see XS_SUPERSCRIPT_HEIGHT_ FACTOR
inch Precision
inches
Select the level of precision for dimensions using the Precision list box. The format you use also affects dimension precision. For example, if you set the format to ###.# you get 1/10 precision, not 1/1000 precision. You need to enter values as integers when setting variables for unfolding. See Unfolding dimensions (p. 141).
Field
0.00 0.50 0.33 0.25 1/8 1/16 1/32 1/10 1/100 1/1000 Format
Integer value 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Description For defining precision with rounding. For example, with precision 0.33 the actual dimension 50.40 is shown as 50.33. For imperial units
Use the Format list box to select a format for displaying dimensions. Tekla Structures only uses the information in brackets when necessary and it is optional. For example, the dimension 500.00 is shown as 500 if you use the format ###.[#] and as 500.0 if you use the format ###.#.
Field
### ###[.#] ###.# ###[.##] ###.## ###[.###] ###.###
Integer value 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
203
Field
### #/# ###/##.### Decimal separator
Integer value 7 8
To define the character to be used as a decimal separator in dimension marks, use the variable XS_DIMENSION_DECIMAL_SEPARATOR in Tools > Advanced Options > Dimensioning: General.
With this variable, you can change the separators in dimension objects in drawings only, not in part marks or templates.
Use grouping
To select how to display large dimension values, use the options in the Use grouping list box:
Field
Yes
Description Uses different grouping options to display large dimensions more clearly. Does not use any grouping options.
No
To define how to display large dimension values, use the variables XS_DIMENSION_DIGIT_GROUPING_CHARACTER and XS_DIMENSION_DIGIT_GROUPING_COUNT in Tools > Options > Advanced Options > Dimensioning: General.
Combine equal dimensions
To define the format of combined dimensions in drawings, select either 3*60 or 3*60=180. Indicate the minimum number of dimensions to combine in the Minimum number to combine field.
Placing dimensions
Use the Placing options to control the space between parallel dimension lines and the location of the dimensions in relation to the object they dimension.
The Dimension line spacing option allows you to define the space between parallel dimension lines The Short dimensions options allow you to choose whether to place short dimension text inside or outside of the dimensions.
204
Inside moves the dimension text further away or closer to the dimension line. Outside moves the dimension text outside the extension lines. If you select the text to be outside the dimension lines, you can select on which side of the extension line the dimension text is placed. To change the side of outside dimension, go to Dimensioning > Edit Dimensions > Flip Outside Dimension, and select the dimension you want to change.
See also
Place
To define the location of automatic dimensions, open the drawing properties dialog box, click Dimension..., and then click Place. To manually edit dimension locations, you need to set the dimension placing properties in the Drawing Editor. Click Dimensioning > Dimension Properties... to open the Dimension Properties dialog box and then click the Place... button. The Dimension placing dialog box appears.
Placing and Direction are only available for manual dimensions in the
Drawing Editor
205
Field
Placing
free
Tekla Structures decides the location and direction of the dimension based on the Direction settings.
fixed
The farthest distance Tekla Structures uses when searching for an empty space for the dimension. The closest distance Tekla Structures uses to search for an empty space for a dimension. The side on which Tekla Structures places dimensions (relative to the object being dimensioned).
Minimal distance
Direction
206
Example
Description Tekla Structures aligns slightly-sloped (<5.74) dimension text in the same way as vertical dimension text.
If the dimension text is sloped more than >5.74, Tekla Structures flips the text.
The default limit for aligning dimension text is 0.1 (sin 5.74). To adjust this limit, use the variable:
set XS_DIMENSION_LINE_TEXT_EPS=0.1
To define the appearance of automatic dimensions, open the drawing properties dialog box in Model Editor, then click Dimension... and go to the Appearance tab. To define the appearance of manually created dimensions in the Drawing Editor, click Dimensioning > Dimension Properties to open the Dimension Properties dialog box, and go to the Appearance tab.
207
In addition to the settings on the Appearance tab, you can change the default appearance settings of drawing dimensions on the Drawing dimensions page of the Options dialog box.
See also
Text options (p. 208) Line, Arrow options (p. 209) Creating exaggerated dimensions (p. 209) Changing the appearance of absolute dimensions (p. 210)
Text options
Field
Text color Text height Font Frame Place
Description Controls the color of the text. The color controls the line weight. Controls the height of the text used in the dimensions in the drawing. Controls which font is used in the dimension. Defines a frame for the dimension mark Defines how the dimension is placed relative to the dimension line
208
Field
Color
Description The color of the dimension line. This controls the line weight in printed drawings. Controls the type of the mark used with the dimension line
Arrow shape
Arrow size
1.
Go to Tools > Options > Options... > Drawing dimensions. Use Exaggeration limit field to set the exaggeration limit value. All the dimensions that are narrower than the limit you set are exaggerated in the drawings.
2.
Select Paper or Model as the exaggeration scaling method, and click OK. If you select Paper, the exaggeration limit is multiplied by the view scale. For example, if the scale is 1:10 and the limit is 10 mm, then all the dimensions smaller than 100 mm are exaggerated.If you select Model, and the scale is 1:10, all the dimensions smaller than 10 mm are exaggerated regardless of the drawing scale.
3. 4. 5. 6.
Select Dimensioning > Dimension Properties to display the Dimension Properties dialog box. On the Marks tab, set Exaggeration to Specified to enable the exaggeration. Set the values for Direction, Origin, Width, Position and Height. Click Apply.
When you have selected to show the dimensions as exaggerated, a dimension that is narrower than the limit you set is exaggerated. If there are many exaggerated dimensions, they are rearranged so that all dimensions are placed correctly.
Depending on whether you set the exaggeration for one dimension or the whole set of dimensions, the exaggerated dimensions may look different.
Example
209
Click Tools > Options > Options, and go to the Drawing dimensions page. Set Show zero in absolute dimensions to No if you do not want to show zero at the zero points in absolute dimensions. Yes is the default value Set Draw absolute dimension values parallel to dimension line to Yes to show dimensions parallel to dimension lines in absolute dimensions. No is the default value Click OK.
In the following example, dimensions are parallel to the dimension line and zero is shown at the zero point.
210
Adjusting dimension mark contents (p. 211) Creating dimension tags (p. 211) Creating plate side marks manually (p. 213) Creating plate side marks automatically (p. 215)
1. 2.
Select Dimensioning > Dimension Properties to display the Dimension properties dialog box and go to the Marks tab. Adjust the settings in the Dimension mark contents group box:
Prefix
Displays the selected text before the numeric value of the dimension.
Visibility of numeric value
If you hide the numeric value of the dimension, the prefix and postfix text will still be shown.
Postfix
Displays the selected text after the numeric value of the dimension.
The prefix and postfix values cannot be plain numbers. Also, the prefix value cannot end with a number and the postfix value cannot start with a number when the numeric value of the dimension is visible. Creating dimension tags (p. 211)
See also
1. 2. 3.
Select the dimension line to add the tag to. Right-click and select Properties... from the pop-up menu to display the Dimension Properties dialog box. Go to the Marks tab, and add the desired tag.
211
You can add text tags to single and combined dimensions. The middle column in the dialog box (C in this example) only applies to single dimensions.
Linking associative dimension tags to object properties
The dimension tags are fully associated to the objects the dimension belongs to. You can add extra information in the drawings and have that information automatically updated with any changes made in the model. 1. On the Marks tab, click the ... button next to the text field of the tag where you want to add the associative mark to. For example, to add the associative mark to the upper left tag, select the button marked in the image below.
2.
In the dimension mark properties dialog box, select the desired mark element in the list of available elements and click Add.
3.
Click Modify. Tekla Structures adds the associative mark as text into the dimension tag.
212
To create plate side marks: 1. 2. 3. Select Dimensioning > Dimension Properties to display the Dimension properties dialog box. On the Marks tab, set Type in Plate side marks to Specified to manually control the symbol and insert plate side mark symbols in the drawing. Modify the other properties of the plate side marks if necessary:
Left and right plate side marks: Appearance of the mark symbol on the dimension leader line
Size: Size of the symbol Color: Color of the symbol Offset: Offset from the dimension line along the leader line
To define the symbol Tekla Structures uses in plate side marks, use the following variables in Tools > Options > Advanced Options > Dimensioning: General:
The plate side mark symbols are in the symbol file dimension_marks.sym located in the ..\TeklaStructures\*version*\environments\*environment*\symbols folder. You can customize them in Symbol editor, if necessary. If you change them, the pictures in the dialog box do not change, but the change is visible in the result.
See also
213
1. 2. 3.
Select Drawings & Reports > Drawing Settings and select the drawing properties that you want to adjust. Click the Dimension button. Go to the Advanced tab.
See Creating plate side marks automatically (p. 215) Line and text color and text height only apply to position dimensions to work points and bolt holes in a main part. Use the following options in the Dimensioning dialog box to create these dimensions:
214
TEKLA STRUCTURES 15 Dimensioning
Position tab > Position to (Working points) or (Both) Position tab > Main part bolt position (On)
Set-back style
The field for creating the knock off dimensions is located on the Part tab in the Dimensioning properties dialog box.
See also
Using check dimensions (p. 164) Using knock off dimensions (p. 166)
In the drawing properties dialog box, click Dimension. In the Dimension Properties dialog box, go to the Advanced tab. In Plate side marks > Type, select Automatic.
See also
215
Command Dimensioning properties (p. 216) Dimension properties (p. 222) Dimensioning > GA Dimensioning Settings... (p. 230)
See also
Description Defines which dimensions to create, how to combine them, etc. Defines the appearance and location of dimensions. Defines dimension options for general arrangement drawings.
Dimensioning properties
Synopsis Description
Displays the dimensioning properties dialog box for the drawing. Tekla Structures creates dimensions in the drawing view using the current properties in the Dimensioning Properties dialog box. To view the properties on different tabs, click the following links:
General dimensioning properties (p. 216) Part dimensioning properties (p. 217) Bolt dimensioning properties (p. 218) Position dimensioning properties (p. 219) Dimension grouping properties (p. 220) Sub-assemblies (p. 221) Reinforcement dimensioning properties (p. 221) Automatic dimensioning of general arrangement drawings (p. 176)
Field
Dimensioning type
Description
Standard is used for almost all
More information
dimensioning.
The Truss option meets the specific requirements needed to dimension truss drawings. It dimensions the position and length of the diagonals. The dimensioning is done only if the diagonals are secondary parts that are welded to upper and lower chords, which are main parts and not welded to any parts. If the truss welding is done some other way, standard dimensioning is used.
Number of views
Minimizes the number of views that Also check the settings in the Tekla Structures creates. drawings View properties
216
Field
Combine dimensions Close dimensions Forward offset
Description Combines several single dimensions into one dimension line. Completes dimension lines to include the entire part. The distance Tekla Structures uses to search for the location of a dimension line. The limit for dimensioning asymmetry in secondary parts. Adds a part mark to a dimension line. Defines the side on which Tekla Structures places the Assembly overall, Main part work point, and Knock-off dimensions.
Auto Tekla Structures treats the
More information Controlling dimensions (p. 166) Closing dimensions (p. 175) Forward offset (p. 173)
Recognizable distance (p. 174) Part mark on dimension line (p. 138)
Up places the skew position dimensions of the main part below the part and Down places them above.
Up places the main dimensions above the part (or to the left for vertical parts) Down puts the main dimensions below the part.
Field
Internal
Description Creates internal dimensions for secondary parts connected to the main part. Creates an overall dimension for the main part. Creates an overall dimension for the entire assembly. Creates a check dimension between the outermost work points. Creates dimensions to show the shape of a main part.
More information Internal dimensions (p. 139) Overall dimensions (p. 137)
Main part overall Assembly part overall Main part work points Main part shape
217
Field
Main part radius Bevel Bevel angle Knock off dimensions Preferred dim side From the nearest floor level to part From grid to part centerline From grid to part ends
Description Creates radius dimensions for curved chamfers and round holes in the main part. Defines the appearance of bevel dimensions in drawings. Defines which side of the bevel to dimension. Creates check dimensions from the edge of the main part to the work point. Sets the preferred view (front or side) for part dimensions. Creates dimensions indicating the distance from the closest floor level to the bottom and/or top of the parts. Creates dimensions showing the offset of a part from the grid to the part centerline. Creates dimensions showing the offset of a part from the grid to the near or far end of the part.
Using knock off dimensions (p. 166) Preferred dim side (p. 206)
Field
Main part bolt internal Skewed bolt group Secondary part bolt internal Skewed bolt group Extreme bolts Extreme bolts to work points Preferred dim side
Description Creates internal dimensions for bolt groups in the main part. Aligns the bolt dimensions with the main part or bolt group. Creates internal dimensions for bolt groups in the secondary part. Aligns the bolt dimensions with the secondary part or bolt group. Creates dimension between the outermost bolts. Creates dimensions from the outermost bolts to the work points. Sets the preferred view (front or side) for bolt dimensions.
More information Bolt internal dimensions (p. 143) Skewed bolt groups (p. 144) Bolt internal dimensions (p. 143) Skewed bolt groups (p. 144) Using check dimensions (p. 164)
218
Field
Combine bolt dimensions Minimum number to combine
Description Format for combined bolt group internal dimensions. Defines the minimum number of dimensions to combine.
More information Combining bolt groups (p. 172) Combining dimensions (p. 167)
Field
Position bolts/ parts to
Description Controls from where Tekla Structures creates the part/bolt position dimensions. For castunit drawings, you can only specify from where the part position dimensions are created, and the only choice available is Position to. Creates dimensions to bolt holes or edges of the secondary part. Aligns dimensions with the main or neighboring part. Only for skewed clip angles or shear plates. Sets the starting point for running dimensions. Only for skewed clip angles or shear plates bolted to a neighboring part. Changes the direction of running dimensions. With this option, you can set the zero point to the end of a member rather than to the start. Creates dimensions to the bolt holes in the main part. Creates horizontal and vertical dimensions representing the skew position of a brace. Created between the work points of the main part. Defines how Tekla Structures dimensions skewed secondary part positions. Controls the dimensions of centrally-placed parts. Controls the dimensions of centrally-placed bolts.
Reversed direction for running dimensions Main part bolt position Main part skew position
Main part bolt position (p. 151) Main part skew position (p. 152) Using check dimensions (p. 164)
Skew position
219
More information Elevation dimensions (p. 155) Combine equal dimensions (p. 204) Combining dimensions (p. 167)
Field
Activate dimension grouping Parts Bolts Components Cuts/Shapes Automatic tagging
Description Selects the objects for grouping. Groups according to parts. Groups according to bolts. Groups according to components. Groups according to cuts or shapes. Defines how to display information in dimension line. Displays tags. Includes part count in tag. Does not display marks for grouped items. Elements available to define identical conditions. Adds items to
Selected elements
More information Grouping identical objects to the same dimension line (p. 173)
Display tags Include part count in the tag Do not display marks for the grouped items Available elements
Add
list.
Remove
list.
Move up Move down
Moves the element higher in the list. Moves the element lower in the list.
220
Sub-assemblies
The options on the Sub-assemblies tab in the Assembly - dimensioning properties dialog box are:
Field
Dimension parts inside subassemblies Measure sub-assembly position from See also
Description Defines whether to dimension parts inside sub-assemblies. Defines the position from which the sub-assembly is measured.
Option
Dimensions for reinforcing bar groups Mark location
Descriptions Creates dimensions for reinforcing bar groups. Setting this option to On activates the other selections on this tab. Sets the mark type and location. Selecting the first option in the list box creates nontagged dimension marks.
Selecting one of the other options in the list box creates tagged dimension marks. The location of the tag is indicated by the small rectangle in the option.
Edit mark contents
Opens the Dimension mark content dialog box where you can select what you want to include in the normal dimension mark and in the tagged dimension mark. Automatically adds closing dimensions to the edge of the part.
Creating automatic reinforcement dimensions (p. 159) Reinforcement dimensions (p. 157) Adding reinforcement dimension lines (p. 163) Adding reinforcement dimensions and dimension marks manually (p. 161)
221
Grid tab
Option
Grid line dimensions Overall dimensions Horizontal dimension positioning Vertical dimension properties Parts tab
Descriptions Controls the creation of the grid dimension line. Controls the creation of the overall dimensions. Controls where Tekla Structures positions vertical grid line dimensions in the horizontal direction. Controls where Tekla Structures positions horizontal grid line dimensions in the vertical direction.
Option
Maximum leader line length > Outside dimensions Maximum leader line length > Inside dimensions Include parts not entirely in view Maximum number of outside dimensions Object group dimensioning rules
Descriptions Defines that the outside dimension lines take the maximum leader line length from the grid center line. Defines that the inside dimension lines take the maximum leader line length from the part reference point.. Dimensions the parts partly outside the view. Specifies the maximum number of dimension lines allowed outside the grid. Use object group dimensioning rules for defining the dimensioned parts and their position and add tags to dimension lines.
See also
Adjusting automatic grid dimensions (p. 177) Adjusting automatic part dimensions (p. 183)
Dimension properties
Synopsis
This command displays the dimension properties dialog box of the drawing. Tekla Structures creates dimensions in the drawing view using the current properties in the Dimension Properties dialog box. The options are:
Description
Field
Dimension type: Straight
More information Dimension types (p. 132) Accessing dimension settings (p. 199)
As above, but overrides the straight setting for horizontal dimensions. If you use the blank option, Tekla Structures uses the Straight option settings.
222
Field
Angle Triangle base length Curved
Description Defines the appearance of angle dimensions. The base length of a triangle. Defines whether to use angle units or length for curved dimensions.
Selecting the type of curved dimension (p. 202) This setting can only be adjusted in the Drawing Editor
Precision Format Use grouping Units Dimension line spacing Short dimensions Place
Defines dimension precision: rounding, imperial units. Defines the number of decimals and their appearance. Defines the appearance of large dimension values. Defines the units used in dimensioning. Defines the space between parallel dimension lines. Defines the text location of short dimensions: between or outside the dimension lines. Sets the margins and the side dimension lines appear.
See also
Adjusting dimension appearance (p. 207) Adjusting dimension mark settings (p. 211) Setting Advanced dimension options (p. 213)
Creates a dimension in the horizontal direction. 1. 2. 3. Click Dimensioning > Add Horizontal Dimension. Pick the points to be dimensioned. End selection using the middle mouse button.
The position you click with the middle button also defines on which side the dimension line appears. When you use the fixed placing, the position you pick locates the dimension line.
If you enter the dimension line using the middle button, position the dimension inside the view you are dimensioning, so that the dimensions are visible in the drawing. Placing dimensions (p. 204)
See also
223
Creates a dimension in the vertical direction. 1. 2. 3. Click Dimensioning > Add Vertical Dimension. Pick the points to be dimensioned. End the selection with the middle button.
See also
Creates a dimension in either the horizontal or vertical direction. Tekla Structures uses the direction of the larger overall distance. 1. 2. 3. Click Dimensioning > Add Orthogonal Dimension. Pick the points to be dimensioned. End the selection with the middle button.
Creates a dimension parallel to a line you define by picking two points. 1. 2. 3. 4. Click Dimensioning > Add Parallel Dimension. Pick two points to define the direction for the dimension line. Pick the points to be dimensioned. End selection using the middle mouse button.
Creates a dimension perpendicular to a line you define by picking two points. 1. 2. 3. 4. Click Dimensioning > Add Perpendicular Dimension. Pick two points to set the orientation for dimension line. Pick the points to be dimensioned. End the selection with the middle mouse button.
Creates a dimension parallel to the line between any two picked points. 1. Click Dimensioning > Add Free Dimension.
224
2. 3.
Pick the points to be dimensioned. End selection with the middle mouse button.
Dimensioning > Add Curved Dimension > With Orthogonal Reference Lines
Synopsis Description
If the ends of a curved beam or polybeam have been cut or fitted, the points at the ends of the beam do not necessarily lie on the true curve of the beam. (As points marked 2 show in the figure below.) This is because curved beams are created with straight segments. To avoid creating incorrect curved dimensions, pick the three points defining the arc using points marked 1 in the figure below.
Usage
1. 2. 3. 4.
Click Dimensioning > Add Curved Dimension > With Orthogonal Reference Lines. Pick three points to define the arc. (See illustration.) Pick the points to be dimensioned. End selection with the middle mouse button.
See also
Dimensioning > Add Curved Dimension > With Radial Reference Lines (p. 225)
Dimensioning > Add Curved Dimension > With Radial Reference Lines
Synopsis
225
Description
The dimension text on the line can be either a distance or an angle value. You set this in the Dimension Properties dialog box.
Usage
1. 2. 3. 4.
Click Dimensioning > Add Curved Dimension > With Radial Reference Lines. Pick three points to define the arc. Pick the points to be dimensioned. End the selection with the middle mouse button.
See also
Dimensioning > Add Curved Dimension > With Orthogonal Reference Lines (p. 225)
Creates radius dimensions. Radius dimensions measure the radii of curved shapes.
By default, the radius dimension prefix is R (e.g. R 200). To change the radius dimension prefix (e.g. to Radius 200): 1. 2. Open the file dim_operation.ail (TeklaStructures\*version*\messages\dim_opera tion.ail) Change the prefix R to Radius:
string dim_operation_dim_radius_prefix{ entry = ("enu", "R ");}; string dim_operation_dim_radius_prefix{ entry = ("enu", "Radius ");}; Usage ... ...
1. 2. 3.
Click Dimensioning > Add Radial Dimension. Pick three points to define the arc. Pick a point to place the dimension.
226
Description
You can set the format of the angle dimension in the Dimension Properties dialog box. The dimension can be shown by a triangle or in degrees. You can also enter the triangle base length.
Usage
1. 2. 3.
Pick the vertex point of the angle (1). Pick two points to define the angle (2,3). Pick the side to place the dimension (4).
Recreate all dimensions automatically in drawings. This command recreates the same dimensions as when the drawing was originally created. Tekla Structures dimensions all the views except for linked views, 3D views and key plan views. Select Dimensioning > Add Dimensions for all parts.
Usage
Use to manually combine a group of two or more parallel dimension lines into one line.
Description Usage
1. 2.
Hold down the Ctrl key while picking the dimensions you want to combine. Right-click and select Combine Dimension Lines.
See also
227
Use this command to connect two perpendicular dimension lines. Connecting dimension lines makes drawings clearer and easier to read. For example, connect the dimension lines of embedded objects in a cast unit, floor beams in a floor plan, or anchor bolts in an anchor bolt plan. To connect two dimension lines: 1. 2. 3. Select the two dimension lines to connect. Right-click and select Link dimension lines from the pop-up menu, or click the Link dimension lines icon. The dimension lines are connected:
Usage
See also
Dimensioning > Edit Dimensions > Unlink Dimension Lines (p. 228)
Disconnects dimension lines that have been connected with the Dimensioning > Edit Dimensions > Link Dimension Lines (p. 228) command. This command applies to both ends of the dimension line. To disconnect dimension lines: 1. 2. Select the dimension line. Right-click and select Unlink dimension lines from the pop-up menu.
See also
Dimensioning > Edit Dimensions > Link Dimension Lines (p. 228)
Use these commands to add a new dimension point or remove an existing one. 1. 2. Select the dimension to modify. You can only modify one dimension at a time.. Select Dimensioning > Edit Dimensions > Add Dimension Point or Remove Dimension Point.
To add a dimension point, pick a position. To remove a dimension point, pick the dimension point you want to remove.
228
These commands are also available in the pop-up menu for dimensions.
Used to pick a new start point for running dimensions. When you use the US absolute dimension type, Tekla Structures draws a new RD symbol (Running Dimension) at the new zero point and updates the selected dimensions according to the new start point. By default, Tekla Structures creates the RD symbol at the left end of the part.
You can use this command to swap the running dimensions start point to the opposite end of the member. This is useful when running dimensions start from the wrong end of a member. 1. 2. 3. Pick an existing dimension in the drawing. Right-click and select Set Dimension Start Point. Pick the new start point. Tekla Structures automatically updates the dimensions.
Usage
See also
Checks all dimensions. By default Tekla Structures checks dimensions when you open a drawing. This command rechecks the dimensions and marks invalid dimensions with an invalidity symbol, a red circle. 1. 2. Click Dimensioning > Review Dimensions > Check Dimension Point Validity. Select Single or All.
You can resize the dimension point invalidity symbols. To resize the invalidity symbols, use variables XS_DIMENSION_POINT_CIRCLE_INNER_RADIUS and XS_DIMENSION_POINT_CIRCLE_OUTER_RADIUS.
See also
Dimensioning > Review Dimensions > Remove Dimension Point Invalidity Symbol (p. 229)
Dimensioning > Review Dimensions > Remove Dimension Point Invalidity Symbol
Synopsis Description
Deletes invalidity symbols from invalid dimensions. Tekla Structures marks dimensions that need checking with an invalidity symbol, a red circle. This command lets you to delete the invalidity symbols without deleting the dimension line from the cloned drawing. 1. Click Dimensioning > Review Dimensions > Remove Dimension Point Invalidity Symbol.
Usage
229
2.
See also
Select Single and the invalidity symbol to delete, or select All to remove all invalidity symbols..
Deletes the dimension point change symbols. Tekla Structures uses a symbol to mark changed dimensions. A change symbol is placed around the old point and the new point. An arrow is drawn from the old point to the new point. To highlight the changed dimension text and moved dimension points in associative drawings, set the variable XS_HIGHLIGHT_ASSOCIATIVE_DIMENSION_CHANGES to TRUE in Tools > Options > Advanced Options... > Dimensioning: General. This command lets you delete the change symbols. To delete a single change symbol: 1. 2. Click Dimensioning > Review Dimensions > Remove Dimension Change Symbol > Single. Select the change symbol to delete.
Usage
To delete all change symbols, click Dimensioning > Review Dimensions > Remove
Controls dimensioning options for general arrangement drawings. The semi-automatic GA dimensioning is a special dimensioning type you only use for general arrangement drawings. It contains several dimensioning options:
Which points and parts Tekla Structures dimensions How Tekla Structures combines dimensions Whether to use the reference line of the part or the center line as a dimension point
Field
Dimension
Description Defines which points Tekla Structures uses for dimensioning. Intersection points only creates dimensions for points where two parts intersect. Intersection and reference points creates dimensions for points where two parts intersect, and to the reference points of the selected parts. Defines whether Tekla Structures dimensions all the selected parts or only main parts.
More information
Parts
230
Field
Combine Uses
Description Defines how Tekla Structures combines dimensions. Defines whether Tekla Structures uses the reference line or the center line as a dimension point.
More information Combining options (p. 231) Use options (p. 233)
Usage
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Open a general arrangement drawing. Click Dimensioning > GA Dimensioning Settings.... Set the properties. Click Apply. Select the objects you want to dimension. Create dimensions using the commands in the Dimensioning menu: Dimensioning > Add GA Drawing Dimensions > Along Part X Axis, Along Part Y Axis, or Along Part X and Y Axis.
Combining options
The following illustrations show how Tekla Structures combines different dimensions. These relate specifically to dimensioning settings in general arrangement drawings.
All
Tekla Structures combines all dimensions for the selected parts on one dimension line.
By grid lines
Tekla Structures combines points to be dimensioned depending on how close they are to the grid lines. For example, in the drawing below, dimensions are combined so that the intersection points of the upper beams are dimensioned close to the upper grid line and the lower beams close to the lower grid line.
231
By grid squares
Tekla Structures combines points to be dimensioned depending on how close they are to the box formed by the grid lines.
By main parts
Tekla Structures combines dimensions so that all intersections of one main part are shown with a single dimension line.
232
By selected parts
Tekla Structures combines all intersections of the selected parts with separate dimension lines.
Use options
The following illustrations show how Tekla Structures creates dimensions using different dimensioning settings in general arrangement drawings.
Reference lines
Tekla Structures generates dimensions using the Position settings in the objects properties dialog box. In the drawing below, the beams dimensioned to the edge of the flange were placed in the model with Position on plane set to Right. So, the points you pick in the model when placing the object affect dimensioning.
233
Center line
Tekla Structures generates dimensions at a point on the center line of the object. In the drawing below, the beams dimensioned to the center line were placed in the model with Position on plane set to Right. So, Tekla Structures dimensions the center line of the profiles regardless of the position setting in the objects properties dialog box.
234
Drawing Properties
Introduction
Tekla Structures generates drawings using the current properties in the appropriate drawing properties dialog box. Drawing properties for different types of drawings are found in the Drawings & Reports > Drawing Settings menu. You can also modify the properties of existing drawings using the drawing properties dialog box. There are two ways to change drawing properties:
In this chapter
Select drawings from the drawings list and modify them Modify open drawings in the Drawing Editor
This chapter explains how to use common drawing properties, as well as properties that only apply to single-part, cast-unit, and general arrangement drawings. You should be familiar with the following chapters:
Contents
Introduction to Drawings (p. 21) Getting Started with Drawings (p. 41) Drawing Layout (p. 113), which explains how to define and check the layout of different drawing types Dimensioning (p. 131), which discusses the principles of dimensioning Common drawing properties (p. 236) Drawing view properties (p. 241) Drawing section view properties (p. 258) Part and neighbor part properties (p. 269) Bolt and weld properties (p. 278) Reinforcement properties (p. 282) Surface treatment properties (p. 288) Marks in drawings (p. 291) Merging marks (p. 316) Grids in drawings (p. 320) The Drawing Classifier (p. 324) Drawing properties reference (p. 330)
235
Multi-drawings
You can skip the sections Drawing view properties (p. 241) through Grids in drawings (p. 320) if you are creating multi-drawings. For information on multi-drawings, see Creating drawings (p. 48).
The drawing name is displayed in the drawing list in the Drawings dialog box and in drawing templates. The drawing title is user-definable. Tekla Structures uses this text in drawing headers in drawing templates and reports. You can also define up to 3 additional titles to use in drawing templates.
236
See also
User-defined attributes in drawings (p. 237) Protection (p. 238) Placing (p. 239) Dimension basics (p. 131) Drawing List contents and markings (p. 42) Drawing Layout (p. 113)
Enter a user-defined Comment for drawings, projects, assemblies, parts, and so on. Tekla Structures uses the comment that is included in the drawing template you select, and a hierarchy, dependant on where the comment has been entered. Use the User field 1 to User field 8 on the Parameters tab to enter drawing-specific information.
Use the variable XS_DRAWING_UDAS_MODIFY_ALL_DRAWING_TYPES to control whether the modifications in user-defined attributes affect all selected drawings in the drawing list at the same time, even if the drawings are of different types.
See also
For more information about adding new fields, see Adding properties. For more information about user-defined attributes in drawing marks, see Adding userdefined attributes in marks (p. 311).
237
Protection
You can protect areas in drawings to prevent text or dimensions being placed there. To access the protection properties for assembly drawings, for example, click Drawings & Reports > Drawing Settings > Assembly Drawing... > Protection.... The options are the same in GA (General Arrangement) drawings. See the example below:
Marks may overlap with part corners and edges, but not with part. Dimension text may not overlap with other dimensions. In the Assembly - Protection Properties dialog box shown above, Tekla Structures may place text, dimensions, or marks on the corners and edges of parts.
If you clear the first two columns of checkboxes, Tekla Structures does not protect part corners and edges. This increases drawing speed and decreases the memory requirement. You can still protect these areas by using the third column of checkboxes for part protection.
Save, Save as, Load Drawn
The default settings are saved with the filename extension adr. The columns define the regions to be protected, as illustrated below:
238
Part corners Part edges Part Text or mark Dimension arrowhead Dimension line Dimension value Cut symbol Cut name Weld arrow Weld text
New
The rows define which objects, or object components, Tekla Structures cannot place in the protected areas.
Row
Placing
Use the options in the Placing dialog box to control the placement of marks, views, dimensions and welds. For example, to access the part mark placing settings for general arrangement drawings, click
Drawings & Reports > Drawing Settings > General Arrangement Drawing... > Part Mark... > General > Place.... Marks
Click the Place button to display the placing dialog box, which contains the options shown below:
239
Search margin
Defines the boundary within which Tekla Structures searches for a space to place a mark.
Minimal distance
Checkboxes define the areas Tekla Structures searches for a space to place the mark.
To move marks away from each other, use Search margin, not Minimal distance. Keep the minimal distance setting as small as possible to
Welds
Use the options in the weld placing dialog box to control the position of welds in drawings. For example, to access the weld placing settings for assembly drawings, click Drawings & Reports > Drawing Settings > Assembly Drawing... > Weld... > Place.... Tekla Structures displays the following dialog box:
Weld placement depends on the welding direction. Welds can only be placed in certain sectors, so the Quarter checkboxes are grayed out. You have the following options:
Placing
Search margin
Defines the boundary within which Tekla Structures searches for a space to place a weld.
Minimal distance
Defines the minimum distance of the weld symbol from the weld. You can manually edit mark, dimension, weld and view location through the Placing options in the Drawing Editor. For weld marks, the Placing options are available also in the Modeling Editor in the drawing properties. 1. Open the Part Mark Properties, Weld Properties, Dimensioning Properties, or View Properties dialog box and click the Place... button.
240
2. 3.
Set margins and distances as instructed above. Select Placing - free to let Tekla Structures decide the location and direction of the mark, dimension, weld or view based on the Direction settings. If you select Placing - fixed, you can place the mark, dimension, weld or view at any point.
Marks, dimensions, welds and views have a certain protection area that is taken into account with the option free: they are placed in the first suitable position concidering their protection area and, for example, margins and other placing and direction settings. When you use the option fixed, the mark stays where it is even though you update the drawing, whereas with free, Tekla Structures tries to find the optimal place for the mark.
In this section
Main views: front, top, back and bottom views Section views Single-part views 3D views
This section describes the drawing view properties. You define drawing view properties before creating drawings. All views of a view type share the same properties. You can edit drawing view properties on both the drawing properties and view modification levels, which are the two highest levels at which you edit drawings (see Three levels of editing drawings (p. 37)). You can fine tune some view-specific properties once you have created drawings. For more information, see Editing Drawings (p. 341). Most of the drawing view properties you define before creating drawings are common to all view types and drawing types. There are some exceptions, for example, section views have some additional properties. See Adding section views to drawings (p. 259).
Topics
Defining which drawing views to create (p. 242) Defining exact drawing view scales (p. 242) Displaying neighbor parts in drawing views (p. 243) Hiding and showing objects in drawings and drawing views (p. 377) Properties of individual views (p. 244) Single-part views in assembly drawings (p. 246) 3D views in cast-unit, assembly and single-part drawings (p. 383) Defining part orientation in drawing views (p. 247) Defining concrete part orientation (p. 250) Defining plate orientation (p. 251) Unfolding in single-part drawings (p. 253) Shortening parts in drawings (p. 254) Displaying view names automatically in drawings (p. 255) Displaying deformed parts in drawings (p. 256) Displaying part openings and recesses in drawings (p. 256)
241
You have the following options for each of the four main views and section views:
off
Tekla Structures does not create the view, but dimensions the parts in the available views. If you set all four main views off, Tekla Structures will still create a front view.
on
Tekla Structures always creates the view, even if it was not necessary in order to show the dimensions.
auto
Tekla Structures creates the view if it is necessary in order to show the dimensions. You can also add views to existing drawings. See Adding views to drawings (p. 379).
You can dictate the exact scale of drawing views, or you can let Tekla Structures set an appropriate scale. You can define different scales for main views and section views.
All main views in a drawing automatically use the same scale unless you fine-tune individual views manually.
Exact scale
If you want drawing views to use an exact scale, you must define the scale in the drawing properties, and switch off automatic scaling when defining the layout. 1. 2. 3. 4.
Scale > Autoscale (No).
To switch off automatic scaling: in the drawing properties dialog box, click Layout... >
To define the exact scale of a view or section view: in the drawing properties dialog box, click View... (or Section view...) > Attributes. Enter the scale in the Scale field. Recreate the drawing.
Autoscale
If you prefer to use specific drawing sizes rather than specific scales of drawing views, use automatic scaling: 1. 2. In the drawing properties dialog box, select Layout... > Scale > Autoscale (Yes). Recreate the drawing.
Tekla Structures scales the drawing views so that they fit in a drawing of a specific size.
Summary
Tekla Structures uses the scale information for views in the following order:
242
1. 2. 3.
Scale in the view properties or section view properties dialog box, and for GA drawings, the scale in the View properties dialog box. Alternative scales for main and section views in the layout properties dialog box, if you have set autoscale to Yes. You set individual scales manually, for example, for different main views.
Neighbor parts
Option
None Connected parts Connecting parts All components By extreme
Description Do not show neighboring parts. Show all parts connected to the drawing object. Only shows the parts the drawing object is connected to. Combines the Connected parts and the Connecting parts options. Show all parts within the boundaries of the main and secondary part, connected by a workshop weld. For more information, see Properties of individual views (p. 244).
Main/Secondary parts
Option
Main parts Secondary parts
Description Only shows neighboring parts that form the main part of an assembly or a cast unit. Only shows neighboring parts that are secondary parts of an assembly or a cast unit. Shows both main and secondary parts.
Select Yes to show as neighbor parts in the drawing, No not to show them. To change the boundaries of the view in main and section views:
In the drawing properties dialog box, click View... (or Section view...) > Attributes.
243
Enter a value by which to extend the view in the View extension for neighbor parts field.
For example, you can make the entire neighboring part visible in the view, by increasing the boundaries of the view using this value. For more information on neighbor parts, see Marks in drawings (p. 291).
244
You can modify the properties of individual views and section views independently of the drawing properties of the entire drawing. See also Three levels of editing drawings (p. 37).
Option
Attributes 1 Scale Reflected view
Description For information on setting the scale, see Exact scale (p. 242). Display load bearing structures, such as columns and beams in lower floor. Select Yes to display structures with a continuous line, or No to display them with a dashed line.
Set or modify the view angle of 3D views. Type in the values for the angles in y and x directions. Rotation in a drawing view is around local axis (rotation values 0.0 and 0.0 equal Front view). For more information on 3D views, see 3D views in cast-unit, assembly and single-part drawings (p. 383).
Size
You can either define a specific size for a view (Define as distances) or control the size by parts (Fit by parts):
Define as distances
The x and y fields define the view size along the x and y axes of the view. The depth fields define the depth of the view relative to, and perpendicular to the view plane.
Fit by parts
Tekla Structures fits the view contents into the drawing view frame without leaving any unnecessary space. For more information, see Resizing drawing views (p. 381).
View extension for neighbor parts Attributes 2 Place Unfolded Undeformed Shortening
Set the distance from the drawing view to display neighboring parts. For information, see Extension (p. 243). Set the placing for the drawing view to Fixed or Free. For more information on unfolded option, see Unfolded (p. 253). For more information, see Displaying deformed parts in drawings (p. 256). If parts are very long and do not include any details, you can shorten them. For more information, see Shortening parts in drawings (p. 254). For more information on showing openings and recesses, see Displaying part openings and recesses in drawings (p. 256).
245
Option
Datum point for elevations Dimension creation method in this view
Description For more information, see Modifying reference point (p. 156). Clone the dimensions separately for the selected view only. Using this option affects the creating of the dimensions during cloning and redimensioning of existing drawings. For more information, see View-specific dimension cloning (p. 88) Define the view label text. For more information, see Editing view label (p. 246). Define a symbol to be used for the view label. Define the vertical and horizontal position of the view label. Select if you wish to show the direction marks or not and set the mark height.
In assembly drawings, you can include single-part views of the individual part components that form the assembly. To include single-part views: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. In the Assembly Drawing Properties dialog box, click Layout... > Other. Set Include single-parts to Yes. This activates the Single-part attributes field. From the Single-part attributes list box, select the correct drawing properties. Click OK in each dialog box to close it. Create the drawing. See Using drawing-type-specific commands to create drawings (p. 69).
Once you have created a drawing, you can also specify which parts to show in single-part view(s): 1. 2. 3. Open the assembly drawing. In the drawing view, select the part to create the single-part view from. Right-click and select Create single-part views.
Tekla Structures adds the single-part view(s) to the assembly drawing. The view properties are the same as those in the single-part drawing that you used to create the single-part view. See more in Properties of individual views (p. 244).
246
The angle of vision from which the part, assembly, or cast unit is shown How the part, assembly, or cast unit is rotated The orientation of dimensions in the drawing view
Coordinate system (p. 247) Part rotation in drawing views (p. 248) Defining front view for columns (p. 250) Defining concrete part orientation (p. 250) Defining plate orientation (p. 251)
Coordinate system
To set the coordinate system, open the drawing properties dialog box, and click View... > Attributes > Coordinate system and select one of the options:
local
Tekla Structures uses the local coordinate system of the main part. The parts x axis is parallel to the drawings x axis, and the starting point (the end point created first) of the part is on the left.
model
Tekla Structures uses the global coordinate system. The part has the same position in the drawing as it has in the model. This is one option when you want to show columns vertically.
You can use the model option to display sloping parts in position. Tekla Structures cannot display horizontally skewed parts.
oriented
Tekla Structures uses the local coordinate system of the main part, but the coordinate system is oriented so that the parts x axis points to the right even if the part was created from right to left.
247
Skew braces
For skewed braces, there are two options which automatically rotate the front view around the x axis:
horizontal brace
Tekla Structures automatically rotates the drawing views so that the front view is from the top of the model.
vertical brace
Tekla Structures automatically rotates the drawing views so that the front view is in the same plane as the brace in the model. See the illustration below:
Concrete parts
For concrete parts, the option Fixed rotates the front view so that it shows the casting direction (the face that is top in form) of concrete part, if it is defined when modeling. For more information, see Defining concrete part orientation (p. 250).
248
Z axis
249
1. 2.
Go to Tools > Options > Options... > Orientation marks. Use the Columns in assembly drawing options. When you set the Coordinate system to local, Tekla Structures uses the coordinate system of the column when showing the direction of the front view. When you set the Coordinate system to oriented, the column is in a horizontal position, but the direction of the front view is the option you select (North, East, South or West). When you set the Coordinate system to model, the column is in a vertical position and the direction of the front view is the option you select (North, East, South or West).
See also
250
1. 2. 3.
In the model, double-click the part to open the part properties dialog box. Click User-defined attributes... to open the user-defined attributes dialog box. On the Parameters tab, select the view direction in the Fixed drawing main view list box:
To display the front view in the "top in form" in a drawing: 1. 2. 3. Open the drawing properties dialog box. Click View... to open the drawing view properties dialog box. To correctly display the top in form in the drawing, select Fixed in the Coordinate system on the Attributes tab:
XS_POLYGON_SQUARE_CORNER_PREFERENCE_FACTOR XS_POLYGON_PERPENDICULAR_EDGE_PREFERENCE_FACTOR
251
Example
Description Contour plate in the model view. First creation point Second creation point
Instead of using automatic plate orientation, you can set the plate main axis to follow the line created by the first and second points you pick, regardless of the plate dimensions. This enables you to define the plate orientation in drawings or reports. To define the contour plate orientation with first and second picked points: 1. 2. 3. Create the contour plate. The first and second points you pick also define the plates main axis. Double-click the plate to open the Contour plate properties dialog box. Click User-defined attributes..., and click the Orientation tab.
4. 5. 6. 7.
Select From 1st to 2nd creation point in the Main axis direction list box. Click Modify, and close the dialog box. Click Drawings & Reports > Numbering > Number Modified Objects to update numbering. To view the orientation of the plate, create a single-part drawing of the plate.
252
Example
Description Contour plate in the model view. First creation point Second creation point
Single-part drawing of the plate. User-defined attribute Main axis direction is From 1st to 2nd creation point.
Unfolded
To unfold polybeams in single-part drawings: 1. 2. 3. 4. On the menu bar, click Drawings & Reports > Drawing Settings > Single-Part Drawing... > View... > Attributes. Set the Unfolded switch to Yes. Tekla Structures shows and dimensions the bend lines in the drawing. Click OK or Apply. Create the single-part drawing.
253
Limitations
The unfolding feature only affects plates created using the Polybeam command. You cannot unfold plates created using the Curved beam and Folded plate commands. You can only unfold a polybeam in one plane. For information on unfolding parameters, see Unfolding dimensions (p. 141).
See also
For drawings
To control the shortening of parts on the drawing level: 1. 2. Open the drawing properties. Click View... (or Section view...) >Shortening.
254
The fields Minimum cut part length and Space between cut parts define how Tekla Structures cuts the middle regions of the parts in drawing views. The Cut skew parts list box defines whether skew parts in views are cut.
For views
To control the shortening for each drawing view separately: 1. 2. 3. Open a drawing. Double-click the blue border around a view. The View properties dialog box appears. Click the Shortening tab.
Cut parts defines if empty areas are shortened in drawing views. You can set this differently for individual drawing views. Expanding cut parts
To stretch shortened parts to fill up the empty areas of a drawing, click Layout > Other (Expand shortened parts to fit). Tekla Structures stretches the parts after scaling and selecting a paper size.
Position: Define the location of the name label. Color: Define the color of the font in the name label. Height: Define the height of the font in the name label.
255
6.
Example
To create drawings that illustrate the developed shape of parts and hide the part deformations in the drawing: 1. 2. 3. 4. Click the View... button in the drawing properties dialog box. Go to the Attributes tab and select Yes in the Undeformed list box. Click Apply or OK to save the drawing view properties. Create the drawing. The drawing illustrates the developed shape and dimensions of the part.
Part deformations
Tekla Structures uses the Undeformed list box to control which deformations are shown in cast unit drawings.
Property
Deforming angle Cambering Shortening
256
By default, Tekla Structures displays openings and recesses in the following way:
Examples
Recess symbol and bounding lines shown as unbroken lines Recess symbol and bounding lines shown as dashed lines Remember to switch hidden lines on for parts. (See Part representation (p. 269).)
The following advanced options in Tools > Options > Advanced Options > Drawing Properties give you more variety in showing the openings and recesses:
Use XS_USE_CROSS_FOR_OPENING_SYMBOL to select how the openings/recesses are shown and the symbols to be used.
FALSE, the openings and recesses are shown as follows:
By default, the openings and recesses are shown as above. When this variable is set to
Use XS_USE_OPENING_SYMBOL_IN_BORDER_HOLES to select whether to use the opening/recess symbol in openings located at part borders. This variable is by default set to FALSE. Set it to TRUE to display the symbols. The symbol used depends on the setting of the advanced option XS_USE_CROSS_FOR_OPENING_SYMBOL.
257
Use XS_USE_OPENING_SYMBOL_IN_CORNER_HOLES to select whether to use the opening/recess symbol in openings located in part corners. This variable is by default set to FALSE. Set it to TRUE to display the symbols.The symbol used depends on the setting of the advanced option XS_USE_CROSS_FOR_OPENING_SYMBOL.
Adding section views to drawings (p. 259) Section view properties (p. 259)
258
Section view direction (p. 260) Section view label and mark (p. 262) Hatching in drawings (p. 358) Shortening parts in drawings (p. 254)
2. 3. 4. 5.
See also
See also Defining which drawing views to create (p. 242). Set the scale. See Defining exact drawing view scales (p. 242). Set the section view properties. See Section view properties (p. 259). Set the section mark and view label properties. See Section view label and mark (p. 262). Create the drawing(s) or modify existing drawings.
Section view properties (p. 259) Section view direction (p. 260) Shortening parts in drawings (p. 254) View > Create Drawing View > Curved Section View (p. 110)
Section depth
Use the depth field to define the depth values of the section view. The Section depth defines the positive and negative depth of the section view when sections are not combined.
259
Distance
To combine section views, you need to define a distance to use. If two sections are within this distance, Tekla Structures combines the section views if the combined view will show all the dimensions clearly.
Use to extend the boundaries of the view to include neighboring parts. For more information, see Displaying neighbor parts in drawing views (p. 243). Section view direction (p. 260) Section view label and mark (p. 262) Shortening parts in drawings (p. 254)
Left section, right direction Middle section, right direction Right section, left direction
260
The left and right section views are also referred to as side views in the layout properties (Layout... > Other > Side views beside main).
To display the view direction marks: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. In the drawing, right-click and select Properties... from the pop-up menu. Click View... On the Views tab, select the On option for section views and/or end views as desired. Click Modify and OK. In the drawing properties dialog box, click Section view... On the View Label tab, select the appropriate options in the Section views and End views. Define the height of the symbol and text label in Height. Click Modify and OK.
You can define the symbol in Tools > Options > Advanced Options... > Drawing Properties by using the variables:
261
Shortening parts in drawings (p. 254) Adding section views to drawings (p. 259) Section view properties (p. 259) Section view label and mark (p. 262)
Section mark
The options in the section mark properties dialog box define how section marks appear in drawings.
Example
Go to Annotating > Properties > Section Mark... or double-click a section mark to open the Section Mark Properties dialog box.
Section mark tab
To define the appearance of the section mark, click the Section mark tab.
262
Use the fields in the Text section of the dialog box to define the contents of the mark. Click the ... buttons next to the fields A1 - A5 to open the Mark Contents dialog box. On the Content tab you can define the content of the mark text as well as font and frame type. For more information, see Section and detail mark and label elements (p. 297). Use the Position tab, for example, for defining the text position and text offset. You can also define whether section mark symbols are shown on both sides or only on the left or the right side, and the rotation of the section mark text.
263
The example text positioning on the Section mark tab is only one way to position the mark text. You can change the text positioning on each fields Position tab. Modifications on the Position tab are visible only in the drawings, and do not show on the Section mark tab. Use the fields in the Symbol section to define the section mark symbols. You can select from a list of predefined arrow symbols or use your own custom symbol. The symbol properties can be given separately for both the left and the right section mark symbol. You can also define the color, size and position of section mark symbols.
Cutting line tab
To define the section mark line length and offset (distance between the mark and the section), click the Cutting line tab.
264
Line length Offset If you want to customize the section mark symbol, you can define the appearance of the symbol using Symbol Editor. Draw the section mark symbol you wish to use, and save it with the symbol number to the sections.sym file. Use the symbol number and the variables XS_SECTION_SYMBOL_LEFT_ARROW_SYMBOL and XS_SECTION_SYMBOL_RIGHT_ARROW_SYMBOL to define the section mark symbol.
265
In the Text section of the dialog box click the ... buttons next to the fields A1 - A5 to open the Mark Contents dialog box. On the Content tab you can define the content of the view label as well as font and frame type. Use the Position tab for defining the text position, and aligning the contents of a view label. Text positioning depends on whether you use a symbol or not.
The example text positioning on the View label tab is only one way to position the label text. You can change the text positioning on each fields Position tab. Modifications on the Position tab are visible only in the drawings, and do not show on the View label tab. In the Symbol section select the view label symbol you want to use. You can select a simple label or a symbol as a view label. You can also define the color, size, line length and the position of the view label. In the Label position section you can select the vertical and horizontal position of the view label.
See also
Adding section views to drawings (p. 259) Section view properties (p. 259)
266
1. 2. 3. 4.
Double-click the background of the drawing. In the Drawing Properties dialog box, click the Layout... button. In the Layout Properties dialog box, go to the Other tab. Set Align section views with main view to Yes.
Result Example
All automatically created sections are aligned with the main view.
Use the View label tab to define the appearance and the position of a detail view label.
267
In the Text section of the dialog box click the ... buttons next to the fields A1 - A5 to open the Mark Contents dialog box. On the Content tab you can define the content of the view label as well as font and frame type. Use the Position tab for defining the text position, and aligning the contents of a view label. Text positioning depends on whether you use a symbol or not.
The example text positioning on the View label tab is only one way to position the label text. You can change the text positioning on each fields Position tab. Modifications on the Position tab are visible only in the drawings, and do not show on the View label tab. In the Symbol section select the view label symbol you want to use. You can select a simple label or a symbol as a view label. You can also define the color, size, line length and the position of the view label. In the Label position section you can select the vertical and horizontal position of the view label.
Detail boundary tab
Use the Detail boundary tab to define the shape of the boundary and the appearance of the bounding line.
268
You can define a fixed size for the circle-shaped detail boundaries. Use the variable XS_DETAIL_BOUNDARY_RADIUS for setting the size of the detail boundary. Enter a numeric value for the radius in millimeters.
Detail mark tab
To define the appearance of the detail mark, click the Detail mark tab. Use the fields in the Text section of the dialog box to define the contents of the mark. Click the ... buttons next to the fields A1 - A5 to open the Mark Contents dialog box. On the Content tab
you can define the content of the mark text as well as font and frame type. For more information, see Section and detail mark and label elements (p. 297).
Use the fields in Symbol section to define the detail symbols. You can select from a list of predefined symbols or use you own custom symbol. You can also define the color and the size the detail symbol. Below is an example of the detail mark.
Part representation (p. 269) Adjusting the part center line type (p. 273) Orientation marks (p. 274) Setting up orientation marking (p. 277)
Part representation
You can control the appearance of ordinary and neighboring parts independently:
To control the appearance of parts, click Part... in the drawing properties dialog box. To control the appearance of neighboring parts, click Neighbor part... in the drawing properties dialog box.
The options on the Content tab define the appearance of parts in drawings.
269
Part representation
The Part representation list box gives you the following options:
Outline
Parts appear as solid objects, Tekla Structures also draws the chamfers in profile cross sections
Workshop form
Base box
Tekla Structures shows parts as boxes and uses the h and b values from the profile catalog as box dimensions
Symbol
Shows a partial profile of the part. You cannot change the length of the partial profile. The length is fixed to 1000 mm.
270
271
Defines the distance of the endpoints of reference lines and centerlines from the endpoints of the object. Defines the appearance of hidden lines in drawing parts.
Hidden lines
Hidden lines on Hidden lines off Other part hidden lines Own hidden lines
Center lines
Use to switch the centerlines of parts on or off. You have the following options:
Reference lines
Center line
Select checkbox to show center lines in main parts (Beam, Plate or Polygon)
Secondary part
Select checkbox to show center lines in secondary parts (Beam, Plate or Polygon) The reference line is a line between the points from which a part is created. You can switch part reference lines on or off. You have the following options:
Reference lines
Select checkbox to show reference lines in main parts (Beam, Plate or Polygon)
Secondary part
272
Select checkbox to show reference lines in secondary parts (Beam, Plate or Polygon)
Additional marks
Appearance Fill
Orientation marks: For more information, see Orientation marks (p. 274). Connecting side marks: For more information, see Connecting side marks (p. 276). Pop-marks: For more information, see Pop-marks. Edge chamfers: For more information, see Edge chamfers in drawings (p. 364).
For more information on how to control the appearance of objects, see Common drawing object properties (p. 343). For more information, see Modifying fill/hatch types (p. 358).
1. 2. 3. 4.
Select Tools > Options > Advanced Options > Drawing Properties. For the advanced option XS_CENTER_LINE_TYPE, enter an integer value from 1 to 7, where 1 = solid, and 2 - 7 = dotted lines. The default value is 4 (dash-and-dot line). Click OK or Apply. To see the center line type change, close the drawing and open it again.
If you enter a value that is lower than 1 or higher than 7, Tekla Structures uses the default value 4.
To see what the line typeslook like, see the Hidden lines > Type options on the Appearance tab of the Part Properties dialog box
273
Orientation marks
Orientation marks indicate the erection direction of assemblies. You can indicate orientation using:
Topics
Mark location (p. 274) Compass direction (p. 275) Orientation symbol (p. 275) Connecting side marks (p. 276) Orientation marks in single-part views (p. 277)
Mark location
In general arrangement drawings part marks appear at the same end as in assembly and castunit drawings. Parts with the same assembly or cast-unit position are always marked at the same end. To indicate orientation using mark location: 1.
Coordinate system to oriented or model.
In the assembly or cast-unit drawing properties, click View... > Attributes and set the
274
2. 3. 4.
In the Model Editor, click Drawings & Reports > Numbering > Numbering Settings... and clear the Beam orientation checkbox. Create assembly and single-part drawings, or cast-unit drawings. Create general arrangement drawings.
When you update an assembly drawing or a cast-unit drawing, remember to update the marks in the corresponding general arrangement drawing. Tekla Structures does not do this automatically.
Compass direction
Part marks include the face direction. Tekla Structures only indicates the face direction if it is the same for all assemblies or cast units with the same assembly or cast-unit position number.
To indicate orientation using compass direction: 1. First check the orientation marking settings (project north etc.) in the Model Editor. To do this, click Tools > Options > Options... > Orientation marks. See Setting up orientation marking (p. 277). In the Model Editor, click Drawings & Reports > Numbering > Numbering Settings... and select the Column orientation checkbox. This forces Tekla Structures to show the face direction in the part mark for two similar columns with different orientation. In the assembly or cast-unit drawing properties, click Part mark... and include the Face direction element in the part mark. Create assembly or cast-unit drawings.
2.
3. 4.
Orientation symbol
Orientation symbols indicate the erection direction of assemblies. The default orientation symbol is a triangle inside a circle.
275
To add orientation symbols to a main part: 1. 2. In the drawing properties, click Part... > Content and select the Orientation marks checkbox. For different parts, Tekla Structures draws orientation symbols:
To the top flange of beams, at the end which points closest to North* (see part 1 in the illustration above) To the lower end of columns, on the flange which points closest to North* (see part 4 in the illustration above) To the flange of bracing, at the end which points to closest North* (see part 3 A in the illustration above)
* or to another designated point of the compass. 3. Use the following settings to adjust marks:
4.
XS_ORIENTATION_MARK_DIRECTION XS_ORIENTATION_MARK_MOVE_DIST_FOR_BEAMS XS_ORIENTATION_MARK_MOVE_DIST_FOR_COLUMNS XS_NORTH_MARK_SYMBOL XS_HIDDEN_NORTH_MARK_SYMBOL XS_NORTH_MARK_SCALE To define which parts Tekla Structures considers to be columns, braces or beams, use skew limits in the Options dialog box. See Setting up orientation marking (p. 277).
For general arrangement drawings, use the following settings to adjust marks:
276
Use the variable XS_SINGLE_ORIENTATION_MARK, if the Single-part attributes option is set to Current attributes in the Other tab on the Assembly - layout properties dialog box. If the Single-part attributes option is set to something other than Current attributes, the visibility of the orientation mark is set according to the selected attribute file.
Field
Project north
Description Defines which direction is North in the model. Enter the value in degrees counter-clockwise from global x axis.
Defines from which direction parts are viewed in drawings. See also Defining part orientation in drawing views (p. 247)
Tekla Structures uses limit angles to determine whether a part is a beam or a column when creating orientation marks. Tekla Structures treats parts outside these limits as braces.
Parts skewed more than 80 are columns. Parts skewed less than 10 are beams.
277
Field
Preferred location for mark Mark always to center of column
Description Defines the location of part marks in drawings, to the left or right end of the part. This setting only affects columns.
Yes places part marks in the center of columns in plan views. To indicate part orientation, use compass direction in the part mark instead. See Compass direction (p. 275). No places part marks on the same flange in GA drawings and assembly drawings.
See also
Bolts (p. 278) User-defined bolt symbols (p. 280) Welds (p. 281) Merging weld symbols (p. 282)
Bolts
Content
To access the bolt properties dialog box, click Bolt... in the drawing properties dialog box. The options on the Content tab define the appearance of bolts in drawings.
Solid/Symbol
There are several ways to display bolts in drawings. You can select the options from the Solid/
278
Example
Description Solid
Exact Solid
Symbol
Symbol 2
Symbol 3
The options also include the DIN symbol option which corresponds to German standards (DIN).
Symbol content
Use to indicate whether to include the Hole and Axis symbols in the drawing.
279
Visibility
Use the fields in this section of the dialog box to show or hide bolt group holes in main parts or secondary parts. In assembly drawings you can also define whether to show or hide bolt group holes in sub-assemblies. The options are:
Visible
Shows holes
Not visible
To show or hide hidden lines in bolts, set the following variables in Tools > Options > Advanced Options... > Drawing Properties:
Appearance
XS_DRAW_BOLT_OWN_HIDDEN_LINES XS_DRAW_BOLT_HIDDEN_LINES
For more information on the appearance of objects, see Common drawing object properties (p. 343).
This is an additional feature that you can use if you need different bolt symbols to the ones Tekla Structures includes.
To create bolt symbols in the Symbol Editor: 1. 2. 3. Save the symbol file ud_bolts.sym in the symbol folder (usually the folder \environments\common\symbols\). Open Notepad, or any text editor. Create the a text file, consisting of lines, in three columns:
The first column contains the bolt assembly standard The second contains the bolt diameter The third column contains the name of the symbol file and the symbol number, separated with the @-character
Tekla Structures uses the user-defined symbol for bolts in the drawing that have the standard and diameter you define in this text file 4. 5. Save the file with the name bolt_symbol_table.txt. Set the variable in the List of variables dialog box:
set XS_USER_DEFINED_BOLT_SYMBOL_TABLE= bolt_symbol_table.txt
280
You can also write a full path to the definition file. Without the path Tekla Structures searches for the file in the model, firm, project, and system directories. 6.
Bolt... > Content > Solid/Symbol (User-defined symbol).
To use your own bolt symbol, select it in the drawing properties dialog box, by clicking
Welds
Content tab
To access the weld properties dialog box, click Weld... in the drawing properties dialog box. The options on the Content tab define how Tekla Structures displays welds in drawings.
Weld number
Visibility Welds
No
The weld number is displayed in the drawing. The visibility options define which welds are visible in drawings. In assembly drawings, you can define the visibility of welds in sub-assemblies. You can set the visibility options for welds using one of the following options:
Not visible
281
Both field welds and shop welds are displayed in the drawing.
Welds in subassemblies Weld size limit
You can set the visibility options for welds in sub-assemblies using same options as for welds. Enter a weld size to filter welds of that size out of the drawing. This is useful when you only want to show non-typical welds in a drawing. To set whether the weld size is an exact or minimum value, use the variable XS_WELD_FILTER_TYPE.
Use the variable XS_OMITTED_WELD_TYPE to specify the standard weld type to filter out from drawings. For example, you can define the standard weld to be 8 mm single-V butt weld:
set XS_OMITTED_WELD_TYPE=3 Appearance See also
For information on how to control the appearance of objects, see Common drawing object properties (p. 343). Weld marks in drawings (p. 312) Placing (p. 239) Merging weld symbols (p. 282) Weld types
Example
Steps
1. 2. 3. 4.
Open a drawing. Hold down the Ctrl key and select the weld symbols. Right-click and select Merge from the pop-up menu. Tekla Structures combines the symbols. To change the leader line position, drag its handles.
Splitting symbols
To split merged weld symbols, right-click the symbol and select Split from the pop-up menu.
282
To open the reinforcement properties dialog box, click the Reinforcement... button in the drawing properties dialog box.
Content tabs
Use the options on the Bar content tab to define how single reinforcing bars and bar groups appear in drawings. Use the options on the Mesh content tab to define how reinforcement meshes appear:
Topics
Setting the visibility of reinforcement in drawings (p. 283) Reinforcement appearance (p. 286)
Use the options in the following list boxes in the reinforcement properties dialog box to define which bars in the group or mesh appear in drawings. Notice that you can define the visibility of longitudinal wires and crossing bars in meshes separately:
Visibility of reinforcing bars in group Visibility of longitudinal wires Visibility of crossing bars
283
Option
all first bar last bar first and last bar bar in the middle of group two bars in the middle of group Customized
Description Shows all bars in a group or mesh. Only shows the first bar in the group or mesh. Only shows the last bar in the group or mesh. Shows the first and last bar in the group or mesh. Shows one bar in the middle of the group or mesh. Shows two bars in the middle of the group or mesh. Only applies to bar groups and meshes. Indicates that you have specified the location of the only visible reinforcing bar. See Adjusting reinforcing bars (p. 284).
When you use the Adjust Reinforcing Bars command to place reinforcing bars in the drawing, Tekla Structures shows the Customized option in the reinforcement properties dialog box when you double-click the bar in the drawing. You cannot select the Customized option when you create drawings.
See also
1.
Open the drawing properties dialog box and click Reinforcement. You can also doubleclick the reinforcement in Drawing Editor to open its properties dialog box.
284
2.
Hide lines behind other rebars hides the lines behind other reinforcement bar lines.
285
Reinforcement appearance
To define how reinforcement appears in drawings, click the Reinforcement... button in the drawing properties dialog box and use the options in the Representation list boxes. The options are:
Option
single line
Example
double line
filled line
286
Option
stick
Example
outline
Only applies to reinforcement meshes. Shows the shape of the mesh using an outline rectangle or polygon, and a diagonal line.
Bar ends
Use the following options in Symbols section of the Reinforcement Properties dialog box to define how Tekla Structures displays the ends of reinforcing bars for single bars and bar groups:
Straight ends
Hooked ends:
To increase the size of the bend and end symbols (in drawing units) use the variables XS_REBAR_BEND_MARK_SYMBOL_MIN_SIZE and XS_REBAR_END_SYMBOL_MIN_SIZE in Tools > Options > Advanced Options... > Concrete Detailing. Use the variable XS_REBAR_REVERSE_END_SYMBOLS in Tools > Options > Advanced Options... > Concrete Detailing to change the end symbols to a different direction.
Mesh symbol
Use the outline options to define the type and size of symbol to use for reinforcement meshes. The mesh symbol appears in the middle of the diagonal line. Tekla Structures includes the following predefined mesh symbols:
Symbol 1
Symbol 2
Symbol 3
287
To add mesh symbols, edit the mesh.sym file using the Symbol Editor.
For information on how to control the appearance of objects, see Common drawing object properties (p. 343). For information on how to show the shape and dimensions of reinforcing bars, see Reinforcement pull-outs (p. 304).
Content and appearance of surface treatment (p. 288) Hatch patterns for surface treatment (p. 290)
288
Option
Visibility Representation Show pattern
Description Show or hide surface treatment. The appearance of the surface treatment. Select the checkbox to display the surface pattern. For more information, see Hatch patterns for surface treatment (p. 290). Select the checkbox to display hidden lines in secondary and neighboring parts. Select the checkbox to display hidden lines in main parts.
Appearance
Use the Appearance tab to define the line type and color of visible and hidden lines. To generate marks for surface treatment, use the Surface treatment mark... button.
289
The properties of the hatch patterns to use for each surface treatment are defined in the surfacing.htc file, located in the ..environments\*your_environment*\system folder. The syntax of surfacing.htc file is:
Surfacing Type, Surfacing Code, Hatch name, Scale, [Colour], [Automatic Scaling and Rotation]
Surface treatment code. This is the abbreviation used in drawings and reports, for example, MF for Magnesium Float. The product_finishes.dat file, which is also located in the ..environments\*your_environment*\system folder, contains a full list of surface treatment codes. Hatch name. Extra scale indicates the scale of the hatch pattern. Color (optional). If you do not define a color for a hatch in the surfacing.htc file, Tekla Structures uses the color defined on the Appearance tab of the drawing surface treatment properties dialog box. The Visible lines color and type is used for the front of the surface treatment, and the Hidden lines for the back. Automatic Scaling and Rotation (optional).
Available hatches
290
1. 2.
See also
Open the object properties dialog box for any object that has a fill type. For example, double-click the Circle icon to open the Circle Properties dialog box. Click Select... to open the list of hatch patterns. Click a pattern to view its name in the Type list box.
For information on surface treatment in drawing marks, see Surface treatment mark properties... (p. 338) and Adding user-defined attributes in marks (p. 311).
This is an example of some of the elements available to show part marks in drawings.
Assembly position Size Mark frame Profile Element frame Length The following automatic marks are available in Tekla Structures:
Topics
Part mark Bolt mark Neighbor part mark Connection mark Reinforcement mark Surface treatment mark Dimension marks
You can also create additional marks in existing drawings. See Additional marks (p. 350). Mark properties (p. 292) Mark content (p. 293) Mark appearance (p. 298)
291
Mark location (p. 301) Adding reinforcement dimension lines (p. 163) Reinforcement dimension marks (p. 158) Reinforcement pull-outs (p. 304) Bolt marks and size elements (p. 310) Adding user-defined attributes in marks (p. 311)
Mark properties
The options in the mark properties dialog box define how Tekla Structures shows marks in drawings. Mark properties are generally the same for each of the available mark types (part marks, bolt marks, neighbor part marks, connection marks, reinforcement marks, surface treatment marks).
Move elements between the lists Adds a frame around the selected elements Appearance of the element frame Removes a space between elements
292
Line feed for multi-row marks Moves the selected element up or down on the list
See also
Mark content (p. 293) Mark appearance (p. 298) Mark location (p. 301)
Mark content
Use the options on the mark properties Content tab to define how Tekla Structures displays marks in drawings. You have the following options:
Topics
Marks can consist of more than one row You can determine the order in which the different elements appear Frames can be nested You can change the font properties separately for each element Symbols can be added to a mark Text can be added to a mark User-defined attributes and template fields can be shown in a mark Shapes and dimensions of reinforcing bars can be shown as pull-outs in reinforcement marks
Common elements in marks (p. 293) Part mark elements (p. 294) Bolt mark elements (p. 295) Connection mark elements (p. 295) Reinforcement mark elements (p. 296) Surface treatment mark elements (p. 297)
Element
User-defined attributes
Description Adds a user-defined attribute to the mark. You can also use template fields for user-defined attributes. For a list of available template fields, see Template attributes. In marks you cannot use template attributes such as MODEL_TOTAL that refer to the whole model. Marks only check the information from the object in the drawing and not from the whole model.
Text Symbol
Opens a dialog box where you can add user-defined text to the mark. Opens a dialog box where you can add a symbol from the Tekla Structures symbol library to the mark.
293
Element
<--
Description Adds a line feed between the desired elements to create multi-row marks. The default space between the lines depends on the text height and can be changed with the variable XS_MARK_ELEMENT_SPACE_FACTOR. Adds a backspace between the desired elements to remove the default space between them. The default space between the elements depends on the text height and can be changed with the variable XS_MARK_ELEMENT_SPACE_FACTOR. Adds in the mark a custom graphical template created with Template Editor.
<--
Template
See also
Adding user-defined attributes in marks (p. 311) Adding templates in marks (p. 298)
Element
Assembly position Part position Profile Material Name Class Finish Size Length Camber Fittings (NS/FS) Face direction
Description Prefix and position number of the assembly Prefix and position number of the part Profile name of part, assembly, or cast unit main part Material of part, assembly, or cast unit main part Name of part, assembly, or cast unit main part Class of part, assembly, or cast unit main part. Finish of part, assembly, or cast unit main part. Size of the part or the assembly or cast unit main part Length of part or assembly or cast unit main part Camber of the part or the assembly or cast unit main part (if this user-defined part attribute is set). Displays the near side/far side marks in the part mark. (only available in front views) Displays main compass direction (North, East, South, West) of the face, where the mark is added. The direction can only be shown if
the face is vertical the direction is the same for all assemblies with the same assembly position number
In other case the element produces no text to mark. See also Orientation marks (p. 274).
294
Element
Gage of outstanding leg Center-to-center distance
Element
Bolt length Bolt diameter Hole diameter Material Standard Short name Full name Assembly type Number of bolts Slot length (x, y) Size Countersunk Gage of outstanding leg Center-to-center distance
Description Adds the length of the bolt to the mark. Adds the bolt diameter to the mark. Adds the hole diameter to the mark. Adds the bolt grade to the mark. Adds the bolt standard to the mark. Adds the bolts short name to the mark (e.g., commercial name of a specific bolt). Adds the complete name of the bolt to the mark. This name is visible in the dialog box list. Adds the bolts assembly type to the mark. Adds the number of bolts to the mark. Adds the slots length in the x or y direction to the mark. Adds the hole size to the mark. See also Bolt marks and size elements (p. 310). Adds countersink to countersunk bolt mark. Adds hole gage to mark. Adds center-to-center distance to mark.
Element
Code
Description Adds the connection code to the mark. This is a userdefined code you give for the connection in the connection dialog box. The code can be either a text string or a number. Adds the connection name to the mark (e.g., Tube_splice). Adds the DSTV code to the mark. Adds the number of connection to the mark.
295
Element
Running number
Description Adds the connection running number to the mark. All connections are automatically numbered with a running number (e.g. 85). Adds the connection group to the mark. Adds the connection error to the mark. The numbers correspond the connection symbol colors:
Element
Name Grade Diameter Class Length Number Position Shape Weight cc
Description Name of the bar or mesh Material grade of the bar or mesh Nominal diameter of the bar Class of the bar or mesh Total length of the bar Quantity of bars Reinforcement position number Shape of the bar or mesh Weight of the bar or mesh Includes the center-to-center spacing of the bars in the mark. The options are:
Pull-out picture
cc adds the spacing value if spacing does not vary cc min adds the smallest spacing value of the bar
Adds a pull-out of a bar to the mark. See Reinforcement pull-outs (p. 304).
Reinforcement meshes
Element
Size
Description Nominal diameters of the mesh bars, dimensions of the mesh, and the spacings of the bars in the longitudinal and crossing directions Length of the reinforcement mesh
Mesh length
296
Element
Mesh width cc
Description Width of the reinforcement mesh Use the same center-to-center options as for single bars. You can define this element individually for the longitudinal and crossing bars in the mesh.
For information on merged reinforcement marks, see Merging marks (p. 316).
Element
Name Material Class Code Surface treatment name
Description Defined in the Name field in the Surface treatment properties dialog box. Surface treatment material Class of the surface treatment Code of the surface treatment. Defined in the Surface treatment name list box in the Surface treatment properties dialog box.
Element
Section name/ Detail name Source drawing name Source drawing name when moved
Description The name of the section or the detail (A, B, C, and so on). The name of the drawing where the view is. The name of the drawing where the view is. This is shown only if the view is not in the same drawing as the section/detail mark.
This section describes the elements specific to section and detail view labels:
Element
Section name/ Detail name Scale Drawing name Source drawing name Source drawing name when moved
Description The name of the section or the detail (A, B, C, and so on). The scale of the view. The name of the current drawing. The name of the drawing where the view has originally been created. The name of the drawing where the view has originally been created. This is shown only when the view has been moved from its original drawing.
297
1. 2. 3.
Open the mark properties dialog box. Select Template from the Available elements list and click Add. Note, that this will remove other elements from the mark. Select a template from the list in the Mark content - template dialog box. If you have not created a template yet, or want to edit the template, you can do it from here.
Remember that if you edit the template here, the change affects all drawings that have marks containing the changed template.
4.
Tekla Structures searches the templates by default from the Marks subfolder. You can rename the folder in Tools > Options > Advanced Options > File Locations using the variable XS_TEMPLATE_MARK_SUB_DIRECTORY.
See also
XS_TEMPLATE_MARK_SUB_DIRECTORY
Mark appearance
Define mark appearance settings using the Content and the General tabs.
Content
The Content tab (Single mark and Merged mark tabs for reinforcement marks) defines font settings and the frames around individual elements.
298
Option
Frame around elements Add frame Type/ Color
Action Use to create frames for selected elements. You can nest frames in marks. To add a frame to an element, select the element in the Elements in mark box and click Add frame. Sets or modifies the frame type and color independently for each frame. Different frame colors print out in different line weights. Defines the font, color and height of text in marks.
Font
The changes you make to the frame type and the font are not visible in the mark contents list but you can check them in the font and frame fields and the drawing. The General tab defines mark visibility (for part, bolt, reinforcement, and surface treatment marks), the mark frames, leader lines, and location. For further information on leader lines and location, see Mark location (p. 301).
General
Visibility
Indicates the views where marks appear. You have different options depending on whether you modify marks on a drawing or view level.
On drawing level On view level
On the drawing level the Visibility of mark field defines whether the marks are created in all views or only one. The following options are available for visibility of marks on a view level:
distributed
Marks are distributed in the view. Tekla Structures only creates marks that are not visible in the other views.
Out of view plane Visibility of bolt marks
always
The view always receives marks, irrespective the settings in other views.
preferred
No marks The Parts out of view plane visibility options define whether Tekla Structures displays marks outside of the view in the drawing. Use the options for In main parts, In secondary parts, In sub-assembly main parts and In sub-assembly secondary parts in the bolt mark properties dialog box to define how Tekla Structures displays bolt marks in drawing views.
Visible
299
Filters standard-sized bolt marks out of drawings. Tekla Structures does not display bolt marks of the size you enter here in the drawing view.
The following variables affect Bolt size limit: XS_OMITTED_DIAMETER_TYPE specifies whether the filtered marks are bolts or holes. XS_OMITTED_BOLT_TYPE specifies the standard of the filtered marks. XS_OMITTED_BOLT_ASSEMBLY_TYPE specifies whether the filtered marks are site, shop, or both bolts.
To set the mark frame and leader line appearance for the part marks of hidden parts, go to the
solid line.
Example
No (solid line)
No mark or line
300
The following variable affects the marks of hidden objects in drawings: XS_OMIT_MARKS_OF_HIDDEN_PARTS_IN_GA_DRAWINGS prevents Tekla Structures from displaying the marks of hidden parts in general arrangement drawings.
Mark location
The following properties affect mark location in drawings:
Selected leader line Orientation marks (p. 274) Protection (p. 238) Placing (p. 239).
Option
Description Always use a leader line. Tries to find a space along the part for the mark. If impossible, Tekla Structures uses a leader line. The mark is always along the part. Lack of space might cause the mark to overlap other elements. The mark is always inside the part. The mark is always inside the part and parallel to the part axis. Tries to find a space the mark inside the part. If impossible, Tekla Structures places the mark along the part with a leader line. Tries to find a space inside the part for the mark and align it parallel to the part axis. If impossible, Tekla Structures places the mark along the part with a leader line. Places the part mark along and in the middle of a part face
Always inside the part Always inside and aligned to the part Inside the part if possible
To change the place of the leader line base point, drag the base point to a new location. You can drag the base point with the following limitations:
301
Leader line minimum length
If the base point is originally on a line, you can drag it along that line. If the base point is originally inside a part, you can drag the base point inside that part.
In advanced options, you can give a minimum leader line length, and define that if the leader line is shorter than the minimum length, it is not drawn.
Leader line position
XS_DRAW_SHORT_LEADER_LINES_OF_PART_MARKS XS_DRAW_SHORT_LEADER_LINES_OF_PART_MARKS_MINIMUM_LENGTH
You can define the part mark leader line position for two types of leader lines: for a leader line with a rectangular frame and for a leader line with no frame. To position the leader line, use the following variables:
Leader line extension length
XS_MARK_LEADER_LINE_POSITION_TYPE_FOR_RECTANGULAR_FRAME XS_MARK_LEADER_LINE_POSITION_TYPE_FOR_NO_FRAME
You can create a short horizontal extension line for a part mark leader line. To define the length of the leader line extension, use the following variable:
XS_MARK_LEADER_LINE_EXTENSION_LENGTH
Option
Description Always creates a leader line. Tries to find a space along the reinforcing bar for the mark. If impossible, creates a leader line. The mark is always along the reinforcing bar. The mark may overlap other elements if there is not enough space. The mark is parallel to the reinforcing bar. The mark is parallel to the reinforcing bar on line. If there is not enough space for the mark, a leader line is created.
Tekla Structures tries to place the mark close to the midpoint on straight bars, or to the midpoint of the longest bar segment. In reinforcing bar groups, Tekla Structures first tries to place the mark on the middle bar if it is visible. If that is not possible, Tekla Structures tries the next visible bar. To create dimension lines for marks, see Adding reinforcement dimension lines (p. 163). You can select how to display the leader line for identical reinforcement marks, or marks created for a reinforcing bar group. To define them, use the Rebar group mark options on the General tab. Use the following options to define leader line for a reinforcing bar group:
302
Option
One leader line to group
Example
Tekla Structures shows the mark frames and leader lines as continuous or dashed lines in drawings. Dashed mark frame and leader line indicate that the object is behind another object in the drawing.
To change the place of the leader line base point, drag the base point to a new location. You can drag the base point with the following limitations:
If the base point is originally on a line, you can drag it along that line. If the base point is originally inside a part, you can drag the base point inside that part.
303
For automatic placement of leader line base points, see Placing reinforcing bar mark leader line base point automatically (p. 304).
Description When the variable is set to TRUE, Tekla Structures selects an optimal place for the base point. Use to define how far the other reinforcing bars must be from the base point so that Tekla Structures can place the base point. Enter the value in millimeters. Use to define the step length while searching for an optimal place for the base point along the reinforcing bar. Enter the value in millimeters.
Example
Reinforcement pull-outs
To illustrate the shape and dimensions of a reinforcing bar in a drawing, add a pull-out of the bar to the reinforcement mark:
304
1. 2. 3.
Open the drawing properties dialog box and click Reinforcement Marks.... In the reinforcement mark properties dialog box, double-click the Pull-out picture element to add it to the reinforcement mark. In the Pull-out picture dialog box, define the pull-out properties.
Property
Scaling
Description The scale of the pull-out is relative to the scale of the drawing view. For example, if the drawing view scale is 1/10 and the pull-out scaling is 2, the actual scale of the pullout in the drawing view is 1/5.
End marks
Select this checkbox to show bar dimensions in the pull-out. Show reinforcement bar hooks more clearly in the pull-out. Select this checkbox to show bar bending angles in the pull-out.
To change for example the color, line type, or representation of a pullout, open the rebar_config.inp file in ..\environments\*your_environment*\system and edit the following lines: PulloutColor, PulloutVisibleLinetype and PulloutRepresentation. For more information, see Reinforcement settings for drawings
305
Selected area-specific reinforcing bar bending schedule Rounding of bar dimensions Available symbols for meshes, strands, and unbonding Appearance of reinforcement pull-outs
You can edit the rebar_config.inp file using any standard text editor (for example Notepad). The entries in the rebar_config.inp file are:
Entry
MergeOneForma t MergeTwoOrMor eFormats MergeAndForma t LeaderLinetyp e DimensionMark SpacingSepara tor ExactDimensio nMarkSpacingS eparator ExactDimensio nMarkPcsSepar ator GroupBarMark MarkingDimAtt ributes ScheduleCount ry
="/" Affects the separator in reinforcement marks. See also Adding reinforcement dimension lines. =" + " Separator between different exact spacing values in reinforcement marks. ="*" Separator between the number of bars and their exact spacing value in reinforcement mark. No longer in use. No longer in use. Defines which bending schedule is used. Affects bending shapes in templates and reports. The available schedules are FIN, SWE, UK, US. When you number the model, the bending shape for the bar is given according to this information. For example, in the Default environment, the bending shapes are letters A, B, C, and so on. See also Reinforcing bar bending types. Options:
"UP": rounds bar dimensions up "DOWN": rounds bar dimensions down "NEAREST": rounds bar dimensions either up or down
Sets the rounding accuracy for bar dimensions. Default is 1 mm. Tekla Structures rounds individual bar dimensions up or down according to the option you select for ScheduleDimensionRoundingDirection.
306
Entry
ScheduleTotal LengthRoundin gAccuracy
Description Sets the rounding accuracy for the total bar length. Default is 10 mm. Tekla Structures rounds individual bar dimensions up or down according to the option you select for ScheduleTotalLengthRoundingDirection. Points to the mesh symbol file that contains the available mesh symbols. Affects the available reinforcement mesh symbols in drawings. By default, points to the mesh.sym file in the ...\TeklaStructures\*version*\environments\commo n\symbols folder.
MeshSymbolFil e
StrandSymbolF ile
Points to the strand symbol file that contains the available strand symbols. Affects drawings. By default, points to the strand.sym file in the ...\TeklaStructures\*version*\environments\commo n\symbols folder.
Points to the unbonding symbol file that contains the available unbonding symbols. Template for rebar mesh size. Defines the format for displaying the dimensions. The format follows the dimension properties format. Options:
PullOutDimens ionPrecision PullOutDimens ionUnit
0 = ### 1 = ###[.#] 2 = ###.# 3 = ###[.##] 4 = ###.## 5 = ###[.###] 6 = ###.### 7 = ### #/# 8 = ###/##.###
Sets the level of precision. 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 16, and so on. Defines the units to use.
307
Entry
PullOutColor
Description Sets the color for the pull-outs in reinforcement marks. Options:
PullOutVisibl eLineType
1 = black 2 = red 3 = bright green 4 = blue 5 = cyan 6 = yellow 7 = magenta 8 = brown 9 = green 10 = dark blue 11 = forest green 12 = orange 13 = gray
See also Reinforcement pull-outs. Sets the line type for reinforcing bar shape in pull-outs. Options:
1= 2 = 3= 4= 5= 6= 7= PullOutRepres entation
308
Entry
PullOutAngleC olor
1 = black 2 = red 3 = green 4 = blue 5 = cyan 6 = yellow 7 = magenta 8 = brown 9 = green 10 = dark blue 11 = forest green 12 = orange 13 = gray
309
Entry
PullOutAngleL ineType
Description Sets the line type for angle lines in pull-outs. Options:
1= 2= 3 = 4 = 5= 6= 7 =
PullOutShowDu plicateDims
Defines whether duplicate dimensions are showed multiple times for one bar. Options:
0 = duplicate dimensions are not shown
(default)
2 = equal and parallel dimensions are not shown, but both hook 3 = all dimensions are shown 4 = hook dimensions are not shown 5 = hook dimensions, or equal and parallel dimensions are not shown
XS_LONGHOLE_MARK_STRING_FOR_SIZE XS_LONGHOLE_MARK_STRING_FOR_SIZE_IN_GA XS_SITE_LONGHOLE_MARK_STRING_FOR_SIZE XS_SITE_LONGHOLE_MARK_STRING_FOR_SIZE_IN_GA XS_SHOP_LONGHOLE_MARK_STRING_FOR_SIZE XS_SHOP_LONGHOLE_MARK_STRING_FOR_SIZE_IN_GA XS_HOLE_MARK_STRING_FOR_SIZE XS_HOLE_MARK_STRING_FOR_SIZE_IN_GA XS_SITE_HOLE_MARK_STRING_FOR_SIZE XS_SITE_HOLE_MARK_STRING_FOR_SIZE_IN_GA
310
Switches
Mark contents
BOLT_NUMBER BOLT_DIAMETER BOLT_LENGTH HOLE_DIAMETER LONGHOLE_X LONGHOLE_Y LONGHOLE_MIN (the shorter of the slotted hole dimensions) LONGHOLE_MAX (the longer of the slotted hole dimensions) BOLT_STANDARD BOLT_MATERIAL BOLT_ASSEMBLY_TYPE BOLT_COUNTERSUNK NAME_SHORT NAME_FULL
You define the mark contents using a format string which has a specific syntax:
Examples
Variables are surrounded by double % characters (%%) (not used between a variable and an operator) Write text without quotation marks To use special characters enter a backslash (\) followed by an ASCII number You can edit marks: change the order of the variables, add your own text, and make calculations
311
3.
You can use both user-defined attributes and template attributes in the Mark content - user defined attribute dialog box. Enter the userdefined attribute exactly as it appears in objects.inp file.
For more information on elements in marks, see Mark content (p. 293).
3.
Click OK.
In your drawing, you can see the the weld marks of the welds created in the Model Editor. To modify the properties of these welds, you need to modify the weld in the Model Editor. When you perform numbering, the welds are updated in drawings. You can also add and modify weld marks manually in the Drawing Editor.
312
The following images describe the basic concepts in weld mark placement in drawings. Above line Below line Reference line Arrow Arrow side for weld Other side for weld
The weld mark contains a reference line and an arrow. The arrow connects the reference line to the arrow side of a connection. When parts are welded together, you can place welds on:
The arrow sides only The other sides only Both the arrow and other sides
The welds on the arrow and other sides of a part can have different weld properties. By default, the properties you define in Model Editor or in Drawing Editor for a weld on the arrow side appear above the reference line in drawings. The properties of an other-side weld appear below the reference line in the weld mark.
313
To show the arrow-side weld properties below the reference line in a weld mark and the other-side properties above, use the variable XS_AISC_WELD_MARK.
The following images describe the weld symbols used in weld marks.
Weld size Weld type Contour symbol Finishing symbol Groove angle Length of weld segment Pitch of weld segments Site weld symbol Weld around symbol Weld number, process, specification, or other reference text
314
Length of weld segment Pitch (center-to-center spacing) of weld segments Site weld symbol Intermittent (stitch) weld
315
Elevation dimension from the grid properties dialog box Dimension created with Create level mark tool
See also
Tekla Structures always merges reinforcement marks that will appear in the same position in the drawing.
Topics
Merging part marks (p. 316) Automatically merging reinforcement marks (p. 317) Manually merging and splitting reinforcement marks (p. 320)
316
Example
Option Off
On
Merges marks for identical secondary parts on both faces of main parts.
Settings
Limitations
Tekla Structures does not merge neighbor part marks. A merged mark has a single leader line.
The bars belong to the same concrete part or cast unit The direction of the bars is the same The bar marks are identical The bars are close to each other A straight line can be drawn through all the bars
To have Tekla Structures automatically merge reinforcement marks in drawings, the reinforcement must be attached to a part or cast unit in the model. See Attaching reinforcement to parts.
To define the distance within which to automatically merge marks for visible reinforcing bars, use the variables XS_MAX_MERGE_DISTANCE_IN_HORIZONTAL and XS_MAX_MERGE_DISTANCE_IN_VERTICAL.
317
Option
One leader line per row Parallel leader lines Leader lines to one point No merge
Description Merges the marks and creates one leader line for a row of reinforcing bars. Merges the marks and creates parallel leader lines. Merges the marks and draws all leader lines to one point. Does not merge marks. Tekla Structures creates an individual leader line for each mark.
If you select No merge, you still need to define the mark content for the marks that Tekla Structures automatically merges on the Merging tab.
Option
Merge vertically
Description Merges the marks in the vertical direction of the drawing. Merges the marks in the horizontal direction of the drawing.
Merge horizontally
For example, you can merge three A f12 L2000 marks to a block and six V f8 L650 marks to another block, and then merge them in the following way:
318
Single mark content Symbol separating the blocks Block prefix Distance between groups Block 1 Block 2 Merged marks can contain the following elements:
Element
Block prefix
Description Adds text or a value to the beginning of each repeated block, for example, the number of single marks merged. Opens a dialog box where you can enter the prefix. Adds the content of the single mark indicated on the Single mark tab to the mark. See Mark content (p. 293) and Reinforcement mark elements (p. 296). Adds the center-to-center distances between reinforcing bars or bar groups included in a merged mark. Adds a symbol between the blocks in the mark. Opens a dialog box where you can enter the symbol. The elements that appear before this element on the mark content list form a block. See Common elements in marks (p. 293).
Single mark content Distance between groups Symbol separating blocks in mark
Other elements
To ensure that merged reinforcement marks appear in the drawing, always include Symbol separating blocks in mark as the last element in the reinforcement mark. To omit the separating symbol, leave this field blank, but still include the element in the mark. You can use the following variables as block prefixes. Remember to add the % character before and after the variable name.
Variable
%NUMBER%
319
Variable
%NUMBER_IN_PLANE%
Description Includes the number of marks merged in the plane of the drawing to the mark. Includes the number of marks merged in the depth direction of the drawing to the mark.
%NUMBER_OUT_OF_PLANE%
See also
To manually merge marks in a drawing: 1. 2. 3. 4. Click Annotating > Properties > Merged Reinforcement Mark.... Set the mark properties. See Automatically merging reinforcement marks (p. 317) for the options. Select the marks to merge in the drawing. Right-click and select Merge marks from the pop-up menu. Select the marks to split in the drawing. Right-click and select Split marks from the pop-up menu.
Splitting
Grid properties (p. 320) Editing grids and grid lines (p. 322)
Grid properties
You can modify grid properties on the drawing and view levels, and modify individual grids or grid lines in a drawing view. The Select grids and Select grid lines switches on the Drawings: Select toolbar enable you to select grids and gridlines in drawings and views:
320
Select grids Select grid lines To modify grid properties, open one of the grid properties dialog boxes:
Drawing grid properties dialog box: Click Grid... in the drawing properties dialog box.
View Grid Properties dialog box:
Double-click the border of the drawing view, and click Grid... in the View Properties dialog box.
Click the Select grid icon in the Drawings: Select toolbar and double-click a grid in the drawing view. To modify grid line properties:
Click the Select grid line icon in the Drawings: Select toolbar and double-click a grid line. The Grid line properties dialog box opens. The options in the grid properties dialog boxes define how Tekla Structures displays grid lines in drawings.
Grid
Not visible
321
Visible
Only the grid line mark and a short section of the grid line (defined in the offset field in Text placing options) is visible. This option is only available in the General - Grid Properties, View Grid Properties, Grid Properties and Grid Line Properties dialog boxes.
Text placing
Select the checkboxes to indicate the direction of grid line labels. Enter the distance between the end of the grid line and the text. You can select colors for grid lines and their labels (grid line texts) independently. You can also select text height, font and text frame style. You can also use fixed-size grid label frames, see XS_DRAWING_GRID_LABEL_FIXED_WIDTH and adjust the grid label frame line thickness, see XS_DRAWING_GRID_LABEL_FRAME_LINE_WIDTH_FACTOR.
Appearance
Hide grids or grid lines: set the grid line color and text to the background color of the drawing Change a line type Change label properties (font, size, frame) Define the position of a label
The Select grids and Select grid lines switches on the Drawings: Select toolbar enable you to select grids and gridlines in drawings and views:
You might create a drawing that contains one grid for the architect, another for the engineer. When you print drawings for the architect, simply hide the engineers grid. To change the location of a grid label or extend a grid line, select the grid line handle and drag it to a new location. Specifying a fixed size for a grid label frame (p. 323) Adjusting the thickness of the grid label frame (p. 323)
322
1. 2.
Select Tools > Options > Advanced Options > Drawing Properties. Set a value for XS_DRAWING_GRID_LABEL_FIXED_WIDTH.
The default value is zero (0), which indicates that the width of the grid label frame depends on the width of the grid label. If you do not set this variable, Tekla Structures adjusts the grid label frames to text within each frame. Example of grid label frames when the frame size is not fixed:
You can adjust the line thickness of the grid label frame. You may want to emphasize the grid label frames so that they are shown with a thicker line than the rest of the grid. 1. 2. Go to Tools > Options > Advanced Options... > Drawing Properties In XS_DRAWING_GRID_LABEL_FRAME_LINE_WIDTH_FACTOR, enter the factor for the width of the grid label frame.
323
Each color has a certain line thickness. The thickness of the grid label frame on the printed black-and-white drawings depends on the color that has been defined for the grid label in the grid properties and on the value of the XS_DRAWING_GRID_LABEL_FRAME_LINE_WIDTH_FACTOR.
This enables you to create different drawing styles. For example, you might create a drawing style for assembly drawings that shows different position dimensions for end plates, cleats, and haunches.
324
End plate is dimensioned by bolts. Cleat is dimensioned by part. Haunch is not dimensioned at all. Classifier uses drawing filters to select model objects, such as parts, bolts, welds, and so on.
Topics
How the Drawing Classifier works (p. 325) Using the Drawing Classifier (p. 326) Troubleshooting (p. 329)
325
Drawing object properties must always begin with "filter_". The Classifier uses the following properties:
Drawing or drawing view properties The view filter in the Drawing Editor, or general arrangement drawing filter. Drawing object properties (for example part, bolt, weld, reinforcement, mark, or dimension properties) from drawing or view sub-dialog boxes.
326
Example
Description The drawing before we used the Classifier. All parts appear in the same color.
The drawing after we used the Classifier. Beams and columns now appear in different colors.
To use the Drawing Classifier: 1. 2. 3. 4. Define and save the drawing properties for the drawing type you want to use. See Creating drawing property files (p. 328) Create a view filter to define specific groups of model objects. You can create view filters at the drawing view level or the general arrangement drawing level. See Creating view filters (p. 328) Create filter-specific property files for groups of model objects, to define how they appear in the drawings. See Creating drawing object property files (p. 329) Create drawings manually or use drawing wizards. See Creating drawings (p. 329).
You need to understand how to edit drawings at different levels to use the classifier effectively. See Three levels of editing drawings (p. 37) for more information.
When you change part properties in a model after you have defined the Drawing Classifier settings, part presentation and mark content are updated in general arrangement drawings. Use the variable XS_DISABLE_CLASSIFIER_FOR_MODIFIED_PARTS to define whether part presentation and mark content are updated. Drawings are not updated if the change does not affect numbering.
327
4.
Click Apply.
You can also create and save properties on the drawing view level using the Drawing Editor. If you want to use drawing wizards to automatically create drawings, always give drawing properties the same name as the view property files.
5.
Click Cancel to close the dialog box. Do not click Apply, as this will apply the current filter to the entire drawing and the Classifier will not work.
Always use view filters when you use the Drawing Classifier. The Drawing Classifier does not recognize selection filters.
328
Repeat steps 2 and 3 to create a drawing object property file for beams, setting the Color to magenta. Save the drawing object property filter for beams as "filter_test_beam". 4. Click Cancel to close the object properties dialog box.
Creating drawings
To create a general arrangement drawing using the Classifier and the "test" properties we used in our example: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. In the Model Editor, click Drawings & Reports > Create General Arrangement Drawing.... Click Drawing properties.... Tekla Structures opens the drawing properties dialog box. Click the down arrow in the Load text box, then select the "test" drawing properties you created. Click Load. Click OK to apply the Classifier properties and to close the drawing properties dialog box. Select view(s) to include in the drawing and click Create.
Open the drawing and check that beams and columns appear in the colors you defined previously.
You can also use the Classifier together with drawing wizards to create drawings. To do this:
Be sure to include the saved drawing properties in the wizard file. Use the same values in the selection filter in the wizard as you used in the drawing filter. This ensures that both filters select the same objects. You may need to create new selection filters and edit the drawing wizard file.
Troubleshooting
All dimensioning options in the drawing (part, bolt and position dimensions) are associated with parts. So, to define the properties of bolt dimensions using the Classifier, you need to create a view filter for the bolted parts (for example end plates), not for the bolts themselves. If the view properties and drawing properties files have the same name, the Classifier uses the view properties file.
329
The Classifier filters only objects once. If you create several view filters that use different criteria for the same part, the Classifier only uses the first view filter it finds (in alphabetical order). The Classifier ignores the following drawing properties in sub-dialog boxes:
Part mark... > General tab > Visible. To not create part marks, leave the Elements in mark column empty on the Content tab Part mark... > General tab > Merge marks Bolt mark... > General tab > Visible. To not create bolt marks, leave the Elements in mark column empty on the Content tab Bolt mark... > General tab > Bolt size limit Neighbor part... > Visibility tab: all options Weld... > General tab > Size limit and Site/workshop options
If you have problems using the Classifier (for example, parts disappear from the drawing), you may have applied the view filter or drawing object properties to the entire drawing. (You may have clicked Apply or OK to close one or more sub-dialog boxes when you were creating the view filter). To fix this: 1. 2. 3. Load the drawing properties you defined to use with the Classifier. In all sub dialog boxes, check that the Classifier settings are not loaded. Click OK to close the sub dialog box. Save the drawing properties.
Topics
Drawing view properties... (p. 330) Section view properties... (p. 332) Part mark properties... (p. 334) Bolt mark properties... (p. 335) Connection mark properties... (p. 336) Reinforcement mark properties... (p. 337) Surface treatment mark properties... (p. 338)
Displays the drawing view properties dialog box. Tekla Structures creates drawing views using the current properties in the View Properties dialog box. The fields on the View tab are:
330
Field
Front view Top view Back view Bottom view Section views End views 3D view 3D view attributes
Field
Scale
More information Defining exact drawing view scales (p. 242) Displaying neighbor parts in drawing views (p. 243) Defining part orientation in drawing views (p. 247)
View extension for neighbor parts Coordinate system Rotate coordinate system
Sets the distance from the drawing view to display neighboring parts The coordinate system of the drawing view Select an option or enter a value to rotate the view around the x, y, or z axis of the parts.
Field
Minimum cut part length Space between cut parts Cut skew parts
Description Defines how to shorten section views of parts that have no details that need to be visible.
Field
Front view Top view Back view Bottom view
331
Field
Position Color Height
Description Location of the name label. Color of the font in the name label. Size of the font in the name label.
More information
Usage
1. 2.
Select an option from the list boxes, or enter a value in the available fields. Click Apply or OK to save the properties in the current View Properties dialog box. For existing drawings, click Modify to change the existing view properties.
See also
Drawing view properties (p. 241) Moving drawing views (p. 380)
Tekla Structures creates shortened drawing views using the current properties in the Section The fields on the Attributes tab are:
Field
Scale Section depth
Description The section view drawing scale. Defines the positive and negative distances of the section view when views are not combined. Defines the distance range for combining cut views. Defines the boundaries of the drawing view. Define the view direction of the section. Defines the minimum cut length of the shortened part. Defines the distance between cut parts in the drawing view. Defines whether to shorten skewed parts.
Distance for combining parts View extension for neighbor parts Left section Middle section Right section Minimum cut part length Space between cut parts Cut skew parts
332
Field Text
Text
Description Defines the text on the section view label. Click the ... buttons next to the text fields to open the Mark Contents dialog box. Section view label symbol. Color of the section view label symbol. Size of the section view label symbol. Length of the section view label line. Vertical location of the section view label. Horizontal location of the section view label. Visibility of the section view direction mark. Visibility of the end view direction mark. Height of the view direction mark.
More information
Symbol
Symbol Color Size Line length
Label position
Vertical Horizontal
Field
Line Color
Description Length and offset of the cutting line. Color of the cutting line.
333
Field Text
Text
Description Defines the text on the section mark. Click the ... buttons next to the text fields to open the Mark Contents dialog box. Color of the section mark symbol. Section mark symbol. Size of the section mark symbol. Offset of the section mark symbol.
More information
Symbol
Color Symbol Size x/y
Usage
1. 2.
Select options from the list boxes, or enter a value in a text box. Click Apply or OK to save the properties in the current View Properties dialog box. For existing drawings, click Modify to change the existing view properties.
See also
Section view properties (p. 259) Section view label and mark (p. 262)
Tekla Structures creates part marks in the drawing view using the current properties in the Part
Field
Visibility Merge marks Mark frame type Mark leader line Mark frame color Available elements Add button Remove button
Description Defines the visibility of part marks in drawing views. Defines whether Tekla Structures merges part marks. Defines the frame type. Defines the leader type. Defines the frame color. Elements available to define the mark content. Adds mark elements to the main or secondary part mark. Removes mark elements from the main or secondary part mark.
More information Visibility (p. 299) Merging part marks (p. 316) Frame around mark (p. 300) Part mark leader line (p. 301) Mark appearance (p. 298) Part mark elements (p. 294) Mark properties (p. 292)
334
Field
Main part elements Secondary part elements Sub-assembly main part elements Sub-assembly secondary part elements Frame around element type Add frame button Frame around element color Mark font color Mark font height Mark font Move up button Move down button
Description Elements contained in the main part mark. Elements contained in the secondary part mark. Elements contained in the main part mark of a sub-assembly. Elements contained in the secondary part mark of a sub-assembly. Defines the frame type. Adds a frame to a selected part mark element. Defines the frame color. Defines the font color. Defines the font height. Defines which font to use for marks. Moves the part mark element up the list. Moves the part mark element down the list.
Usage
1. 2.
Select options from the list boxes. Click Apply or OK to save the properties in the current Part Mark Properties dialog box. For existing drawings, click Modify to change the existing mark properties.
See also
Tekla Structures creates bolt marks in the drawing view using the current properties in the Bolt
Field
Visibility in view In main parts In secondary parts In sub-assembly main parts In sub-assembly secondary parts Bolt size limit
Description The visibility of bolt marks in drawing views. The visibility of bolts in main parts. The visibility of bolts in secondary parts. The visibility of bolts in subassembly main parts. The visibility of bolts in subassembly secondary parts. The visibility of the default size bolt.
More information Visibility (p. 299) Visibility of bolt marks (p. 299)
335
Field
Mark frame type Mark leader line Mark frame color Available ele-ments Add button Remove button Site bolts Shop bolts Frame around element type Add frame but-ton Frame around element color Mark font color Mark font height Mark font Move up button Move down but-ton
Description The frame type. The leader line type. The frame color. Elements available to define the mark content. Adds mark elements to the mark. Removes mark elements from the mark. Elements contained in the site bolt mark. Elements contained in the shop bolt mark. The frame type. Adds a frame to a selected mark element. The frame color. The font color. The font height. Which font to use for marks. Moves the mark element up the list. Moves the mark element down the list.
More information Frame around mark (p. 300) Mark appearance (p. 298) Bolt mark elements (p. 295) Mark properties (p. 292)
Usage
1. 2.
Select options from the list boxes. Click Apply or OK to save the properties in the current Bolt Mark Properties dialog box. For existing drawings, click Modify to change the existing mark properties.
See also
Displays the drawings connection mark properties dialog box. Tekla Structures creates connection marks in the drawing view using the current properties in the Connection Mark Properties dialog box.
Field
Mark frame type Mark frame color Available elements Add button Remove button
Elements available to define the mark Connection mark content. elements (p. 295) Adds mark elements to the mark. Removes mark elements from the mark. Mark properties (p. 292)
336
Field
Elements in mark Frame around element type Add frame button Frame around element color Mark font color Mark font height Mark font Move up button Move down button
Description The elements to show in the connection mark. The frame type. Adds a frame to a selected mark element. The frame color. The font color. The font height. Which font to use for marks. Moves the mark element up the list. Moves the mark element down the list.
More information Connection mark elements (p. 295) Mark appearance (p. 298)
Usage
1. 2.
Select options from the list boxes. Click Apply or OK to save the properties in the current Connection Mark Properties dialog box. For existing drawings, click Modify to change the existing mark properties.
See also
Displays the drawings reinforcement mark properties dialog box. Tekla Structures creates marks for reinforcement in the drawing view using the current properties in the Reinforcement Mark Properties dialog box.
Field name
Mark visibility in view Mark frame type Mark frame color Leader line Merged mark tab Available elements Add button Remove button Elements in mark
Description Defines if reinforcement marks appear in drawing views. Frame type. Frame color. Type of leader line. Defines how duplicate marks are merged in the drawing view. Elements you can use to define mark content. Adds mark elements to the mark. Removes mark elements from mark. Elements to show in the mark. Set single and group mark properties separately.
More information Visibility (p. 299) Frame around mark (p. 300) Reinforcement mark leader line (p. 302) Merging marks (p. 316) Reinforcement mark elements (p. 296) Mark properties (p. 292) Reinforcement mark elements (p. 296)
337
Field name
Frame around element type Add frame button Frame around element color Mark font color Mark font height Mark font Move up button Move down button
Description Frame type. Adds a frame to a selected mark element. Frame color. Font color. Font height. Font to use in marks. Moves the mark element up the list. Moves the mark element down the list.
Usage
1. 2.
Select options for each field. Click Apply or OK to save the properties in the current Reinforcement Mark Properties dialog box. To change the mark properties in selected drawing(s), click Modify.
See also
Opens the surface treatment mark properties dialog box. Tekla Structures creates marks for surface treatment in the drawing view using the current properties in the Surface Treatment Properties dialog box.
Field name
Visibility in view Merge marks
Description Show or hide surface treatment marks in drawing views. Option to merge surface treatment marks.
More information Visibility (p. 299) For more information on merging marks, see Merging part marks (p. 316) Frame around mark (p. 300)
Mark frame type Mark frame color Leader line type Placing Available elements Elements in mark Frame around elements Mark font
Part mark leader line (p. 301) Location of marks. Elements you can include in marks. Elements included in marks. Frame type and color. Defines font type, color, and height in marks. Marks (p. 239) Surface treatment mark elements (p. 297) Content (p. 298)
338
Usage
1. 2.
Select the options to use. Click Apply or OK to save the properties in the current Surface Treatment Mark Properties dialog box. To change the mark properties in selected drawing(s), click Modify.
See also
Properties modification
Modifying some of the drawing properties can lead to the recreation of the drawing. When you modify the following drawing properties, the drawing might be recreated. In view properties:
Front view Top view Back view Bottom view Section views End views 3D view View extension for neighbor parts Coordinate system Around X Around Y Around Z Undeformed Show opening/recess symbol
In section view properties: Section depth Distance for combining cuts Left section Middle section Right section
In dimension properties: Straight In X direction Knock off dimension type All dimensioning properties
In dimensioning properties:
In part properties: Part representation drop down list In neighbor part properties:
339
Neighbor parts Main/Secondary parts Skew parts Part representation drop down list Visibility Representation Show pattern All protection properties
In protection properties:
340
Editing Drawings
In this chapter
This chapter explains how to edit drawings and their graphical objects in Tekla Structures. It also covers how to create and edit additional drawing objects (i.e. lines, text, symbols, and marks) in Tekla Structures drawings. You should also be familiar with the following chapters:
Assumed background
Introduction to Drawings (p. 21) Getting Started with Drawings (p. 41) Dimensioning (p. 131) Drawing Properties (p. 235) Additional drawing objects (p. 341) Additional marks (p. 350) Symbols in drawings (p. 351) Adding text and links to drawings (p. 353) DWG and DXF files in drawings (p. 362) Working with drawing objects (p. 370) Working with drawing views (p. 378) Editing drawings reference (p. 383)
Contents
341
Rectangles Clouds Symbols Text Associative notes Cover-up objects DWG/DXF files Marks Dimensions Reference models
In addition to the automatic dimensions and marks Tekla Structures creates, you can include additional objects in Tekla Structures drawings. These are typically used for temporary, revision-related, or other similar types of information.
Basic drawing objects
This section describes the basic types of additional objects you can create in Tekla Structures drawings. To create objects in drawings, use the icons on the Drawing Objects toolbar, or select a command from the Dimensioning, Annotating or Shapes menu. The following table lists the commands you use to create drawing objects, and gives a short description of each one.
Command
Draw Line
Icon
Description Creates a line between two picked points. Creates a rectangle according to two picked points. Creates a circular arc according to the picked end points and center point. Creates a circular arc according to three picked points. Creates a circle according to the picked center point. Creates a circle according to three picked points. Creates a polyline that traverses the picked points. You cannot use this command to create closed polygons, use the Polygon command instead. Creates a polygon according to the picked points. Creates a cloud according to the picked points. Draws a reactangular cover-up area that covers the underlying part outlines. Draws a cover-up line that covers the underlying part outlines.
Draw Rectangle
Draw Arc > By Endpoints and Center Draw Arc > By Three Points Draw Circle > By Center and Radius Draw Circle > By Three Points Draw Polyline
Draw Polygon
342
See also
Draw Line (p. 384) Draw Rectangle (p. 384) Draw Arc > By Endpoints and Center (p. 386) Draw Arc > By Three Points (p. 387) Draw Circle > By Center and Radius (p. 385) Draw Circle > By Three Points (p. 386) Draw Cloud (p. 389) Draw Polygon (p. 389) Draw Polyline (p. 388) Common drawing object properties (p. 343) Special color (p. 349) Symbols in drawings (p. 351) Adding text and links to drawings (p. 353) Using cover-up tools (p. 374) DWG and DXF files in drawings (p. 362) Additional marks (p. 350) Manual dimensioning (p. 133) Displaying reference models in drawings (p. 369)
Line properties
The following are the properties of lines Tekla Structures uses to draw objects (such as lines, rectangles, arcs, circles, polylines, and polygons):
Property
Line type
Options
Additional information The weld symbols have the following line types:
Line color
343
Property
Bulge
Additional information The bulge factor defines the curvature of the curved segments of objects using the calculation: Arc height = Line length * Bulge factor Changing the bulge factor of a polyline or polygon modifies all the segments of that object. To modify an individual segment, use handles. See Dragging, reshaping, and resizing drawing objects (p. 375).
You can define own line types, and use them wherever line type settings are available. The customized line types are handled the same way as other line types. The customized line types are defined in line type file format (.lin). To customize line types, open TeklaStuctures.lin file in ..\environments\common\inp. By default, the most widely used line types are available in the file. TeklaStructures.lin.id file contains the names of the line types visible in the user interface and the unique IDs assigned for each line type. The value of the ID must be greater than 10, for example:
CENTER, 1000 BORDER, 1002 DASHDOT, 1003
You can use TeklaStructures.lin also for mapping the exported line types.
User-defined line types can not be mapped to other (user-defined) line types in DWG export. Default line types can be mapped to user-defined line types. For more information on line type mapping, see Defining your own line type mappings. To define your own line types in TeklaStuctures.lin file: 1. Start every line with the letter A to indicate the beginning of the line type pattern. You can use three different objects: dashes, dots and spaces to form a line. The length of lines and spaces is defined by numbers. 2. 3. 4. Define the length of a dash (-) using positive numbers. Define the length of a a space ( ) using negative numbers. Define dots (.) using number zero (0). The patterns must begin with a dash and typically they end with a space, although the space in the end is not required. 5.
Example
After you have defined the line type pattern, press Enter.
Line type definition for DASHDOT: A, 12.7, -6.35, 0, -6.35 means that the pattern starts with a dash with the length of 12.7 units, then comes a space with the length of 6.35 units, then a dot, and then again a space with the length of 6.35 units. Then the first dash is drawn again.
344
If you add new customized line types, you need to add corresponding bitmaps to ..\Tekla Structures\*version*\nt\bitmaps folder, and name them dr_line_type_xxx.bmp, for example dr_line_type_CENTER.bmp.
Arrow properties
The following are the properties Tekla Structures uses to draw arrows:
Property
Arrow position
Options
Additional information
Arrow type
Leader line
You can use leader lines in text, symbols, associative notes and marks to make it clearer to which item the text, symbol, note, or mark is related to. You have the following options for leader lines:
345
Symbols
Level marks
Revision marks
Part marks
Associative note
You can modify the shape of the leader line by first dragging from the middle point of the line, and then dragging further from the created anchor points and new middle points.
For more information on leader lines in part marks, see Mark location (p. 301).
346
Color
You can specify the color of objects, frames, and fill (see also Fill/Hatch type (p. 347)). The colors define the line weight when you print monocolor drawings. You have the following color options: light gray black red bright green blue turquoise yellow magenta brown green dark blue forest green orange gray Special 152 153 160 161 162 163 164 165 154 155 156 157 158 159
Font
Tekla Structures uses standard Windows fonts. You can use the Select... button to select the font and style from the list. The value in the Height field defines the text height in drawings.
Fill/Hatch type
You can fill closed drawing objects (such as rectangles, circles, and polygons) with a pattern, and color the fill. See also Color (p. 347). You have the following fill options:
347
To scale and rotate patterns, see Modifying fill/hatch types (p. 358). To have Tekla Structures show different materials in section views using hatches, see Hatching in drawings (p. 358).
Frame type
You can create a frame around marks, symbols, text, and dimensions. You have the following frame types to choose from:
Radius
You can specify the radius of arcs and circles.
Place
To define how you want Tekla Structures to place additional drawing objects, click Place.... Tekla Structures opens the placing dialog box for that object.
348
free
Pick a position in the drawing to place the object. Enter a value in the Search margin field to define the limits of the area you want Tekla Structures to search for empty space. Enter a value in the Minimal distance field to indicate the minimum distance the object should be from the relevant part. Use the Quarter checkboxes to further define the area Te kla Structures should search for empty space. Tekla Structures divides the search area into quarters and searches only those quarters you select.
Special color
You can define a special color that is not converted to black when printed. This color will be printed as color or grayscale, depending on the selected printer settings. The special color is defined using RGB (Red Green Blue) values on a scale of 0 to 255.
Defining
To define a special color: 1. 2. Click Tools > Options > Advanced options... to open the Advanced Options dialog box. Go to Hatching category. Define the color using the following variables: set XS_HATCH_SPECIAL_COLOR_R to 214 set XS_HATCH_SPECIAL_COLOR_G to 214 set XS_HATCH_SPECIAL_COLOR_B to 214 The default value is black (0,0,0). The smaller the values are, the darker the shade. 3. Click Apply and OK. Open the drawing. Open the drawing object properties dialog box (rectangle, polygon, or circle). Select the Special fill color. The hatch is printed in color or gray scale, according to the printer settings. To use the special color: 1. 2. 3. 4.
Usage
349
You can also use the special color in hatches of section views. For more information, see Hatching in drawings (p. 358).
Part marks Bolt marks Connection marks Level marks Revision marks Weld marks.
To create additional marks in drawings, use the icons on the Drawing Objects toolbar, or select a command from the Annotating menu. The following table lists the commands you use to create additional marks and gives a short description of each one.
350
Command Add Part Marks (p. 393) Add Level Mark (p. 394) Add Revision Mark (p. 396) Add Weld Mark (p. 394)
Icon
Description Creates marks for all parts, bolts, and connections, or selected parts, bolts, and connections. Creates a level mark (an elevation dimension). Creates a revision mark. Creates a weld mark.
See also
Marks in drawings (p. 291) Weld marks in drawings (p. 312) Level marks in drawings (p. 315)
For instructions on creating symbols, see the Symbol Editor Users Guide. . For information on section and weld marks, see Section view label and mark (p. 262) and Weld marks in drawings (p. 312)
Topics
Adding symbols in drawings (p. 351) Symbol types (p. 352) Symbol properties (p. 352)
351
6.
Esc.
Continue picking to add the same symbol elsewhere in the drawing or interrupt by pressing
Symbol types
You can use the following ways of adding a symbol in a drawing:
Symbol style
Symbol
Icon
Description Creates the symbol with the center at the point you pick in the drawing, without a leader line. Tekla Structures uses all the properties in the Symbol Properties dialog box except for the placing properties.
Creates the symbol outside the part, with a leader line pointing to the point you pick. Pick the starting point of the leader line, and a point to insert the symbol. Tekla Structures uses all the properties in the Symbol Properties dialog box.
Creates the symbol along the line you define by picking two points. Then pick an insertion point for the symbol. The symbol will not have a leader line, even if you define one in the Symbol Properties dialog box.
See also
Symbols in drawings (p. 351) Section view label and mark (p. 262) Weld marks in drawings (p. 312)
Symbol properties
Click Annotating > Properties > Symbol to display the Symbol Properties dialog box. In addition to the common object properties (see Common drawing object properties (p. 343)), you can modify the following symbol properties:
Property
File
Description Enter the filename of the set of symbols you want to use. To find the name of a symbol file, browse the folder /environments/common/ symbols/. Click Select to browse the available symbols, or enter the number of the symbol to use. Single-click a symbol in the Symbols dialog box to use it. Enter the height of the symbol.
Number
Height
352
Property
Color Angle
Description Select a color for the symbol. Enter the angle of the symbol. How Tekla Structures places additional drawing objects. See Place (p. 348).
Place...
Modifying properties
One or more lines Paragraphs Text files Associative notes Hyperlinks Links between drawings.
To add text to drawings, use the icons on the Drawing Objects toolbar, or select a command from the Annotating menu. The following table lists the commands you use to add text and gives a short description of each one.
Command Add Text > Text (p. 390) Add Text > Text along Line (p. 392) Add Text > Text with Leader Line (p. 391) Add Text > Along Line, Arrow at End Point (p. 392) Add Text > Along Line, Arrow at Start Point (p. 393)
Add Text > From Text File... Add Associative Note > With Leader Line Add Associative Note > Without Leader Line
Icon
Description Creates single or multiple lines of text. Creates text along a line you specify. Creates a line of text with a leader line to a point you specify in the drawing. Creates a single line of text with a visible line which has an arrow at the second point picked (or end point). Creates a single line of text with a visible line which has an arrow at the first point picked (or starting point). Adds a text file to the drawing. See Adding text files (p. 355) Creates associative note with leader line. See Associative notes in drawings (p. 357). Creates associative note without leader line. See also Associative notes in drawings (p. 357).
353
Command
Add Associative Note > Along Line Add Link > Hyperlink... Add Link > To Other Drawing
Icon
Description Creates associative note along line. See also Associative notes in drawings (p. 357). Inserts a hyperlink into the drawing. See Adding hyperlinks (p. 356). Creates a link to another drawing. See Adding links between drawings (p. 356).
See Common drawing object properties (p. 343) for more information on additional object properties. Adding links between drawings (p. 356)
Topics
Text files in drawings (p. 354) Links in drawings (p. 355) Scaling text files and links (p. 356) Associative notes in drawings (p. 357)
In addition to the common object properties (see Common drawing object properties (p. 343)), you can modify the scale Tekla Structures uses when adding text files. See Scaling text files and links (p. 356).
The Add Text > From Text File command creates a link to the text file. If you change the text in the file, it will change in all drawings using that text file.
354
Links in drawings
You can place active links to files, Internet addresses, or Tekla Structures drawings within a frame in a drawing. Tekla Structures creates hyperlinks using the properties in the Hyperlink Properties dialog box. The filename extension of a saved hyperlink properties file is fhl. Tekla Structures creates links to drawings using the properties in the Drawing Link Properties dialog box. The filename extension of a saved drawing link properties file is ldr. In addition to the common object properties (see Common drawing object properties (p. 343)), you can modify the following link properties:
Property
File
Description Click Browse... to find the file, or enter a filepath and name, for example, E:\models\new\report.txt. Specifies the Internet address for the link. Select the drawing from the list box. The drawings in the list box are the drawings in the models drawing list. Use this to have Tekla Structures show text other than the link or drawing name in the drawing.
URL Drawing
Active link to an Internet address. Active link to another Tekla Structures drawing. The text Tekla Structures displays in the drawing.
Link text
355
Click the link text in the drawing to jump to the file or Internet address. Double-click the link text to open the linked drawing.
Adding hyperlinks
To insert a hyperlink into a drawing: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Open the drawing. Select Annotating > Add Link > Hyperlink... to display the Hyperlink Properties dialog box. Modify the text style, frame, and scaling as required. In the File or URL text box, enter an Internet address or filename and path. If you need to locate the file, click Browse.... Tekla Structures inserts an active hyperlink to the location you specify. In the Text field, enter the text you want Tekla Structures to display for the hyperlink. Click OK to save the properties and close the Hyperlink Properties dialog box. Pick one or two points in the drawing to indicate the corners of the hyperlink frame. The scaling type you choose affects the number of points to pick. See Scaling text files and links (p. 356).
No scaling
When you define the frame around the object, you only need pick the upper left corner of it. Tekla Structures inserts the object in its original size.
Scale to fit
When you define the object frame, you pick two points to define it. Tekla Structures adjusts the object size to fit the frame.
356
Command Associative note with leader line Associative note without leader line. Associative note along line.
Icon
You can add multiple notes to one object, and place the notes anywhere. Add and modify the content of the notes as you do for part marks.
Elements
Description Opens a dialog box where you can enter text. Adds in the mark a custom graphical template created with Template Editor. Adds a line feed between the desired elements to create multi-row note. Removes the default space between elements. The default space between the elements depends on the text height and can be changed with the variable XS_MARK_ELEMENT_SPACE_FACTOR. Part properties, such as Profile, Class, Length, Camber, Fittings (NS/FS). Bolt properties, such as Standard, Assembly type, Slot length, Slot height.
Shape, cc min.
357
Description Surface treatment properties: Name, Material, Class, Code, and Surface treatment name. Chamfer properties: Name, Length, DX, and DY.
To add an associative note to an object: 1. Click Annotating > Add Associative Note and select the note type:
2.
For the With Leader Line option, pick the first point of the leader line. Pick the position of note. For the Along Line option, pick a point to indicate the start of the line along which you want to run the note, and then pick the end point of the line.
For edge chamfers and other hard-to-see items, it is easier to use the popup menu command Add Associative Note, as you do not have to select the object again after selecting the command from the pop-up. Adding templates in marks (p. 298)
See also
Modifying fill/hatch types (p. 358) Schema files (p. 360) Editing hatching properties (p. 362)
Use hatching on part faces, sections or additional drawing objects, such as circles and polygons, to show different materials. You can define the hatching properties for drawing, view and part level. Use the Fill tab on the Part Properties dialog box to modify hatch and fill types. You can define the type of the hatch pattern, define its color, and set a background color for the hatch. You can set the background color only if you have first selected a hatch pattern. You cannot set the background color for hardware hatches.
You can select between automatic scaling and rotation for hatches or custom scaling and rotation for hatches. If you select automatic scaling and rotation, Tekla Structures automatically scales the hatch pattern to suit the profile size, and you do not need to edit each drawing manually. If you select custom scaling and rotation, use the Scaling in direction x and Scaling in direction y options for defining the scales in x and y direction.
358
To rotate a fill type, enter the angle of rotation in the Angle field. Angle 0.0 is for horizontal and 90.0 for vertical.
With the hatch schema files (.htc files), you can select the hatch patterns as well as automatic scaling and rotation for certain materials. For more information, see Schema files (p. 360).
Insulation
Automatic scaling and rotation for hatches can be applied, for example, to such material as insulation. With automatic scaling and rotation you can also modify the thickness of insulation. You can use the following fill types to represent insulation:
Hatch name
HARD_INS1
Pattern
SOFT_INS
SOFT_INS2
Previewing patterns
To preview the scaled and rotated patterns, click the Select... button.
359
Changing location
Use the x and y offset properties to change the location of a hatch. These properties are available only in Rectangle properties and Polygon properties dialog boxes.
Schema files
You can define the hatch patterns for material types and names in a hatch schema file (in a .htc file). Different drawing types (GA, assembly, single-part, cast-unit) have their own schema files. To indicate the name of the schema file which Tekla Structures uses for each drawing type, use the following variables in the List of variables dialog box:
The default schema files are located in the ..environments\*your_environment*\system folder. The syntax of the schema file is:
Material type, Material name, Hatch name, Scale, Color, Automatic scaling and rotation
360
Hatch name
To view a list of available hatch patterns: 1. 2. Open the object properties dialog box for any object that has a fill type. For example, double-click the Circle icon on the Drawings: Drawing toolbar to open the Circle properties dialog box. Click Select... to open the list of hatch patterns. Click a pattern to view its name in the Type list box. You can use this name as a hatch pattern in the schema file. For more information, see Fill/Hatch type (p. 347).
Scale Color
Scale is a numeric value that Tekla Structures uses to scale hatches. Hatch color also defines line width for the printer. If you do not define a color for a hatch in the schema file, Tekla Structures uses the default color BLACK (0). To use the special color that is printed as color or grayscale, depending on the selected printer settings, set the color number in the .htc file to 120. For more information, see Special color (p. 349). Automatic scaling and rotation defines whether you want to take automatic scaling and rotation into use.
361
No hatching
If you do not want to use any hatch pattern for a material, leave the hatch name field blank in the schema file.
When you edit a schema file, you must restart Tekla Structures to apply the changes.
The DWG/DXF command creates a link to the desired DWG or DXF file. When you modify the file, Tekla Structures also modifies all linked drawings. Adding DWG or DXF files to drawings (p. 362) DWG/DXF file properties (p. 363)
Topics
362
5. 6.
Set the properties. See DWG/DXF file properties (p. 363). Click OK. Tekla Structures creates the DWG or DXF drawing inside a frame in the drawing. Pick one or two points in the drawing to place the frame. The scaling type you choose affects the number of points to pick. See DWG/DXF file properties (p. 363)
To set the DWG/DXF file properties, click View > Add DWG / DXF File... to open the DWG/
In addition to the common object properties (see Common drawing object properties (p. 343)), you can modify the following properties when adding a DWG or DXF file to a drawing:
Property
Scaling type
Description Options:
X: Pick the left upper corner of the frame to insert
the file. You can only set the drawing scale in the x direction. the file. You can set the drawing scale in both x and y directions.
corners of the frame to size and create the frame. Tekla Structures scales the file to fit the frame.
corners of the frame to size and create the frame. Tekla Structures scales the file to fit, maintaining its original aspect ratio.
363
Property
Scale in X
Description Check this to scale the file in the x direction. Enter a coefficient to indicate the scale, e.g. 1.0 for 100%, 1.5 for 150%, etc. The scaling type must be set to X or XY. Check this to scale the file in the y direction. Enter a coefficient to indicate the scale, e.g. 1.0 for 100%, 1.5 for 150%, etc. The scaling type must be set to XY.
Scale in Y
Modifying properties
2. 3.
364
Exact
Outline
4. 5. 6. 7.
Click Modify. In the drawing, double-click the edge chamfer. Select desired line color and line type. Background color is often used color. Click Modify. as line
If you know that you are going to use the same part representation settings for several drawings, modify the drawing part properties in the Model Editor and save your settings in a properties file for later use. See below for typical examples of the ways to show edge chamfers. In this example, Part representation is Exact and Edge chamfers are on. Background color is used in edge chamfer lines, because you usually do not want to show edge chamfers in printouts, but may want to see and select them in the drawing, for example, to add associative notes.
Example
365
In this second example, Part representation is Outline and Edge chamfers are on. Background color is used in edge chamfer lines, because you may want to see and select chamfers in the drawing, for example, to add associative notes.This representation is often used when the scale is small and you do not need to see the small chamfers clearly. The edge chamfer presented in the bottom right corner of the image shows how the edge chamfer looks like when it is selected.
366
The following examples show how the edge chamfers are displayed with different part representation settings: Part representation Exact.
367
See also
Defining default line color and type for edge chamfers (p. 368)
You can override the default settings manually in the Drawing Editor by changing the edge chamfer line color and type in the Edge Chamfer Properties dialog box. Changing edge chamfer line color and type manually (p. 367)
See also
368
See also
Associative notes in drawings (p. 357) Displaying edge chamfers (p. 364)
To show or hide reference models in drawings, and change their appearance: 1. 2. Open the General Arrangement Drawing Properties dialog box by double-clicking the drawing. Click the Reference objects... button. Tekla Structures opens the General - Reference Object Properties dialog box. The Contents tab lists all the reference models included in the model: You can also control the visibility and appearance of the reference models in the Reference Model List dialog box (Drawing File > Reference Model List) .
3. 4. 5.
Showing and hiding hidden lines
In the Visibility column, select Visible from the list box to show the selected reference model in the drawing. Go to the Appearance tab to select the line color and type for all visible reference models. Click Apply or OK to save reference model properties.
You can choose whether to display or hide the hidden lines of reference models in drawings using the variable XS_SHOW_REFERENCE_MODEL_HIDDEN_LINES in Tools > Options > Advanced Options > Drawing Properties. When you set the variable to TRUE, reference model lines are never hidden by other objects. To hide hidden lines, enter FALSE. To define further when the hidden lines are displayed, use the following variables:
369
You can choose the line type used to display the lines using the variable XS_REFERENCE_MODEL_HIDDEN_LINE_TYPE in Tools > Options > Advanced Options > Drawing Properties.
Displaying the hidden lines might slow down the system when you use large or many reference models in a drawing, especially if the variables XS_REFERENCE_MODELS_HIDE_PART_LINES or
XS_REFERENCE_MODEL_LINES_HIDDEN_BY_OTHER_REFERENCE_MO DELS have been set to TRUE. View level
Use the View Properties and View Reference Object Properties dialog boxes to show and hide reference models in individual drawing views, independently of the properties of the drawing. For more information on using reference models in Tekla Structures models, see Reference models in the online help.
User coordinate system (UCS) (p. 370) Defining the UCS (p. 371) Numeric snap (p. 373) Positioning drawing objects (p. 373) Dragging, reshaping, and resizing drawing objects (p. 375) Modifying fill/hatch types (p. 358) Copying and moving drawing objects (p. 376)
To position an object using the global coordinate system, you need to calculate the coordinates of the object from the point of origin of the drawing. Place the UCS at the point where you want Tekla Structures to create one object. See Defining the UCS (p. 371). The coordinates for this object are 0,0 on the UCS. Now you have a visible reference point for the UCS. Place other objects relative to the first object.
Example
UCS Symbol
Tekla Structures shows the UCS symbol in the current drawing view, when you create, copy, move, or modify graphical objects.
370
This example shows several views, each with their own UCS.
UCS commands
Set the point of origin (0,0) for the UCS. Set the point of origin (0,0) for the UCS and the direction of the x axis.
Command
Set UCS origin Set UCS by two points Toggle orientation
Description See Setting the UCS (p. 372). See Setting the UCS (with x axis direction) (p. 372). Using the Toggle orientation command you can switch between two USCs having the same point of origin:
the UCS following the axes of the drawing view (1) the oriented UCS you have defined (2)
371
Command
Reset current Reset all
Description Resets the UCS to its original position in the current view. Resets the UCS to its original positions in all views.
Open a drawing. Click Tools > User Coordinate System (UCS) > Set Origin. Tekla Structures displays the UCS symbol with a crosshair marking the center point. Position the UCS symbol, and then click to set the point of origin of the UCS in the current drawing. Open a drawing. Right-click and select User Coordinate System (UCS) to access the UCS commands. Tekla Structures displays the UCS symbol with a crosshair marking the center point. Position the UCS symbol, and then click to set the point of origin of the UCS in the current drawing.
1. 2.
Right-click in the drawing, select UCS > Set UCS by two points. Select Dimensioning > Add Horizontal Dimension and pick two points. The resulting dimension is the distance between the two picked points in the current UCS.
372
When you use the Add Orthogonal Dimension command, it automatically finds out whether the dimension line is in X or Y direction depending on which one is the closest.
Numeric snap
Use the Enter a numeric location toolbar to snap to exact locations by specifying their coordinates.
Tekla Structures automatically displays the toolbar when you start typing coordinates from keyboard. For more information, see Snapping to positions.
Using coordinates
Specify coordinates in the Enter a Numeric Location toolbar to place objects exactly. To place an object using relative coordinates: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Open a drawing. Select the object to position. Activate a command to position the object (e.g. click Edit > Move). Pick a point from the object to specify the start point for moving. Click Tools > Enter Numeric Location > Relative (or click shortcut R). Tekla Structures displays the Enter a Numeric Location toolbar with relative coordinate symbol @.
373
6. 7.
Then type in relative coordinates to x and y direction, for example @10, 20. Click OK.
1.
Objects, which are located in a free location are not moved at all If the objects overlap, they are moved as close to current location as possible. Open the properties dialog box for each object type, and then click Place... to set the placing properties. See also Placing (p. 239) (for marks and welds) and Place (p. 205) (for dimensions). In the drawing, select the drawing objects you want to position. Click View > Arrange Drawing Objects (Freeplace) > Near Current Locations.
To position selected drawing objects so that they do not overlap other objects:
2. 3.
To position objects without checking the current location, click View > Arrange Drawing
374
2.
Draw a non-transparent rectangular area or line over the model object outline that you want to hide. You can drag the cover-up objects to another location, and resize the objects by dragging the handles.
To resize a rectangle, or the frame around text file, hyperlink, or DWG/DXF, drag the handles as indicated below:
Increase width
375
To move the circle, drag in any direction Drag to increase diameter of circle
See also
376
Pull-down menu
Edit > Copy > Lin ear Edit > Move > Lin ear
Pop-up menu
Linear. Linear.
Right-click and select Copy > Right-click and select Move >
To copy or move drawing objects: 1. 2. 3. 4. Select the object(s) to copy or move. Use one of the commands in the table above. Pick a point to copy or move from. Pick a point to copy or move to.
Use the UCS and Numeric snap toolbar to position objects exactly. See also Positioning drawing objects (p. 373).
You also have Rotate and Mirror options for copying and moving graphic drawing objects, dimensions, welds, and texts.
Drag and drop
Edit > Copy > Rotate... (p. 396) Edit > Copy > Mirror... (p. 397) Edit > Move > Rotate... (p. 397) Edit > Move > Mirror... (p. 398) To move objects, select the objects and drag them to the new position. To copy objects, select the objects, hold down the Ctrl button, and drag the objects to the new position.
You can also use drag-and-drop feature to copy and move objects.
You can copy and move drawing objects between drawing views that have different scales.
When you hide drawing objects, check that the Tools > Options > Drawing Color Mode selection and Ghost Outline selection indicates your desired result.
If Ghost Outline is selected, hidden objects appear in ghost outlines. If Black and White is not selected, a white background with colored lines shows ghost outlines of hidden objects.
377
To hide an object in a drawing view: 1. 2. Select the object you want to hide from a drawing view. Right-click and select Hide/Show > Hide from Drawing View from the pop-up menu.
If you want to hide or show an object in the drawing, follow the same instructions and select Hide from Drawing or Show in Drawing from the pop-up menu. Selecting Hide from drawing makes the drawing object hidden in all drawing views. To show a hidden object in a drawing or drawing view: 1. 2. Select the hidden object. Right-click and select Hide/Show > Show in Drawing View or Show in Drawing from the pop-up menu.
The object visibility is rechecked every time you hide or show objects in a drawing. This means that the object representation is always up to date. For example, if you have a wall panel which is supported by a steel frame, and you hide the wall panel, the previously hidden objects behind the wall become automatically visible.
Hidden objects in templates
You can define whether to list the hidden objects in templates. To do this: 1. 2. Go to Drawing File > Drawing Properties... > Layout. Select the appropriate option in the List hidden objects in templates list box.
Placing drawing views (p. 379) Aligning drawing views (p. 380)
378
Moving drawing views (p. 380) Rotating drawing views (p. 380) Resizing drawing views (p. 381) Copying and linking drawing views (p. 382)
Views in the model. See View > Create Drawing View > Of Entire Model View (p. 108). Areas of the model. See View > Create Drawing View > Of Selected Area in Model (p. 108). Views in the same drawing. See View > Create Drawing View > Of Selected Area in Drawing View (p. 108). Single parts in an assembly. See Single-part views in assembly drawings (p. 246). Objects in 3D. See 3D views in cast-unit, assembly and single-part drawings (p. 383). Section views. See View > Create Drawing View > Section View (p. 109). Detail views. See View > Create Drawing View > Detail View (p. 110) Curved section views. See View > Create Drawing View > Curved Section View (p. 110)
You can also create new views of a part from another direction in single-part or assembly drawings. See View > Create Drawing View > Of Selected Part in Drawing View > Front, Top, Back, Bottom, 3D (p. 109). You can add views to drawings by copying and linking drawing views from other drawings. See Copying and linking drawing views (p. 382). Additionally, you can add DWG and DXF files inside a frame in a drawing, see DWG and DXF files in drawings.
To switch from a drawing to a model view, use the list at the end of the Drawing Editor Window menu.
Right-click in the drawing and select Arrange Drawing Views from the pop-up menu. Click View > Arrange Drawing Views.
379
Arrange Drawing Views only affects views where the Place field is set to Free. Fixed views are not moved. See also Properties of individual
Arrange Drawing Views may change the drawing size if you have used
automatic scaling of drawing views. See Automatically scaled drawing views (p. 123).
To align views vertically: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Select a drawing view, then right-click to display the pop-up menu. On the pop-up menu, select Align vertically. Pick a point in the selected view. Pick a point in another view. Tekla Structures moves the views so that the picked points line up vertically.
380
4.
Click Rotate.
Change the x min, x max, y min, and y max properties in the View properties dialog box (click View... in the drawing properties dialog box). OR Select the view and drag the view plane, indicated by dashed lines, along the x and y axes of the view:
381
Select the view plane. Drag the view plane to the left to resize the view.
You cannot use the drag technique to modify drawing view depth. You must modify the depth+ and depth- properties in the View properties dialog box.
See more about drawing views in Drawing view properties (p. 241).
See also
Command
View > Add Views from Other Drawing > Copy
Description Copies the views from the selected drawings as such to the open drawing. Tekla Structures does not copy the drawing layout. You cannot update the changes in the original views to the copied views. Shows the views of the selected drawings in the open drawing. Tekla Structures does not copy the drawing layout. Tekla Structures shows the changes of the original views also in the linked views. Copies the views and layout from the selected drawings as such to the open drawing. You cannot update the changes in the original views to the copied views. Shows the views and layout of the selected drawings in the open drawing. Tekla Structures shows the changes in the original views also in the linked views.
View > Add Views from Other Drawing > Copy with Layout
View > Add Views from Other Drawing > Link with Layout
Copied drawing views do not update when the original views change. Linked drawing views update.
382
To include a 3D view before creating a drawing: 1. In the Model Editor, select Drawings & Reports > Drawing Settings > Single-Part Drawing..., Assembly Drawing... or Cast Unit drawing... depending on which type of
2. 3. 4.
drawing you want to create. In the drawing properties dialog box, click the View button. In the 3D view list box, select On. To define the 3D view properties, select one of the options in 3D view attributes. There are ready-made properties for assembly, cast-unit and single part drawings, which you can use when creating the corresponding drawing. The automatically created 3D views have the same filtering type as the other drawing views. The Current attributes option creates the 3D view based on the values you last entered in the Rotation around (in 3D views) fields in the View properties dialog box.
To create a 3D view in an existing drawing, click View > Create Drawing View > Of Selected Part in Drawing View > 3D View. You can set or modify the view angles with the options in the View properties dialog box of the drawing. The angle settings apply only for the 3D view. To set or modify the view angles: 1. 2. 3. Select the drawing, whose view angles you wish to set or modify. Right-click and select Properties... from the pop-up menu. Type in the values for the angles in y and x directions in the Rotation around (in 3D views) fields. Rotation in a drawing view is around local axis (rotation values 0.0 and 0.0 equal Front view).
1. 2. 3.
Go to Tools > Options > Advanced Options > Drawing Properties. Set the variable XS_INTELLIGENT_DRAWING_ALLOWED to TRUE. Use advanced drawing property XS_DRAWING_UPDATE_VIEW_PLACING to control how the view placing works.
383
Draw Line
Synopsis Preconditions Description
This command creates a line between two picked points in a drawing. You must have a drawing open. Tekla Structures creates the line using the properties in the Line properties dialog box. The filename extension of a saved line properties file is gln.
Field
Line type Line color Line bulge Arrow position Arrow type Arrow size Usage
More information Line properties (p. 343) Color (p. 347) Line properties (p. 343) Arrow properties (p. 345)
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Double-click the Draw line icon. Enter or modify the line properties. Click Apply or OK to save the properties. Pick the starting point. Pick the end point.
See also
Common drawing object properties (p. 343) Working with drawing objects (p. 370) Using commands (p. 28)
Draw Rectangle
Synopsis Preconditions Description
This command creates a rectangle using two picked points in a drawing. You must have a drawing open. Tekla Structures creates the rectangle using the properties in the Rectangle properties dialog box. The filename extension of a saved rectangle properties file is grt.
Field
Line type Line color Line bulge Fill type Fill color
More information Line properties (p. 343) Color (p. 347) Line properties (p. 343) Fill/Hatch type (p. 347) Color (p. 347)
384
Field
Fill angle Scale and rotation of fill in direction x Scale and rotation of fill in direction y
You can only use the Draw Rectangle command to create rectangles with horizontal and vertical sides. If you want to rotate the rectangle, use the Edit > Move > Rotate command.
Usage
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Double-click the Draw rectangle icon. Enter or modify the properties as required. Click Apply or OK to make the modified properties the current rectangle properties. Pick the first corner. Pick the diagonally opposite corner.
See also
Draw Polygon (p. 389) Common drawing object properties (p. 343) Working with drawing objects (p. 370) Using commands (p. 28)
This command creates a circle using the center point and radius you specify in a drawing. You must have a drawing open. Tekla Structures creates the circle using the properties in the Circle Properties dialog box. The filename extension of a saved circle properties file is gci.
Field
Line type Line color Radius Fill type Fill color Fill angle Scale and rotation of fill in direction x Scale and rotation of fill in direction y Usage
More information Line properties (p. 343) Color (p. 347) Radius (p. 348) Fill/Hatch type (p. 347) Color (p. 347) Modifying fill/hatch types (p. 358)
1. 2. 3. 4.
Double-click the Draw circle icon. Enter or modify the circle properties. Click Apply or OK to save the properties to the current circle properties. Pick the center point.
385
5.
See also
Draw Circle > By Three Points (p. 386) Common drawing object properties (p. 343) Working with drawing objects (p. 370) Using commands (p. 28)
This command creates a circle that traverses three picked points in a drawing. You must have a drawing open. Tekla Structures creates the circle using the properties in the Circle Properties dialog box. The filename extension of a saved circle properties file is gci.
Field
Line type Line color Radius Fill type Fill color Fill angle Scale and rotation of fill in direction x Scale and rotation of fill in direction y Usage
More information Line properties (p. 343) Color (p. 347) Radius (p. 348) Fill/Hatch type (p. 347) Color (p. 347) Modifying fill/hatch types (p. 358)
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Double-click the Draw circle icon to open Circle Properties dialog box. Enter or modify the circle properties. Click Apply or OK to save the properties. Click Shapes > Draw Circle > By Three Points. Pick the first point on circle. Pick the second point on circle. Pick the third point on circle.
See also
Draw Circle > By Center and Radius (p. 385) Common drawing object properties (p. 343) Working with drawing objects (p. 370) Using commands (p. 28)
This command creates a circular arc using two end points and a center point you specify in a drawing. You must have a drawing open.
386
Description
Tekla Structures creates the arc using the properties in the Arc Properties dialog box. The filename extension of a saved arc properties file is gar.
Field
Line type Line color Radius Arrow position Arrow type Arrow size Usage
More information Line properties (p. 343) Color (p. 347) Radius (p. 348) Arrow properties (p. 345)
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Double-click the Draw arc by 3 points icon to open the Arc Properties dialog box. Enter or modify the arc properties. Click Apply or OK to save the properties. Click Shapes > Draw Arc > By Endpoints and Center. Pick the starting point. Pick the end point. Pick the center point. It specifies the center of the circle of which the arc is a part.
See also
Draw Arc > By Three Points (p. 387) Common drawing object properties (p. 343) Working with drawing objects (p. 370) Using commands (p. 28)
This command creates a circular arc that traverses three picked points in a drawing. You must have a drawing open. You can specify an arc with three points, either clockwise or counter-clockwise. Tekla Structures creates the arc using the properties in the Arc Properties dialog box. The filename extension of a saved arc properties file is gar.
Field
Line type Line color Radius Arrow position Arrow type Arrow size Usage
More information Line properties (p. 343) Color (p. 347) Radius (p. 348) Arrow properties (p. 345)
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Double-click the Draw arc by 3 points icon. Enter or modify the arc properties. Click Apply or OK to save the properties to the current arc properties. Pick the starting point. Pick a point on the arc.
387
6.
See also
Draw Arc > By Endpoints and Center (p. 386) Common drawing object properties (p. 343) Working with drawing objects (p. 370) Using commands (p. 28)
Draw Polyline
Synopsis
This command creates a line with straight (or curved) segments in a drawing.
The Draw Polyline command does not create closed polylines. Use the Draw Polygon (p. 389) command to create closed polylines.
Preconditions Description
You must have a drawing open. Tekla Structures creates the polyline using the properties in the Polyline Properties dialog box. The filename extension of a saved polyline properties file is gpl.
Field
Line type Line color Bulge for all lines Arrow position Arrow type Arrow size Usage
More information Line properties (p. 343) Color (p. 347) Line properties (p. 343) Arrow properties (p. 345)
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Double-click the Draw polyline icon. Enter or modify the polyline properties. Click Apply or OK to save the properties to the current polyline properties. Pick the points you want the line go through (13). Pick the end point with the middle mouse button (4). Interrupt the command. Define the curved segments using the bulge factor in the Polyline Properties dialog box, or by dragging handles.
See also
Common drawing object properties (p. 343) Working with drawing objects (p. 370)
388
Draw Polygon
Synopsis Preconditions Description
This command creates a polygon that has its corners at the picked points in a drawing. You must have a drawing open. Tekla Structures creates the polygon using the properties in the Polygon Properties dialog box. The filename extension of a saved polygon properties file is gpg.
Field
Line type Line color Bulge for all lines Fill type Fill color Fill angle Scale and rotation of fill in direction x Scale and rotation of fill in direction y Usage
More information Line properties (p. 343) Color (p. 347) Line properties (p. 343) Fill/Hatch type (p. 347) Color (p. 347) Modifying fill/hatch types (p. 358)
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Double-click the Draw polygon icon. Enter or modify the polygon properties. Click Apply or OK to save the properties to the current polygon properties. Pick the first corner point. Pick the other corner points. Pick the starting corner point again, or click the middle mouse button to close the polygon.
See also
Common drawing object properties (p. 343) Working with drawing objects (p. 370) Using commands (p. 28))
Draw Cloud
Synopsis Preconditions Description
This command creates a cloud that traverses the picked points in a drawing. You must have a drawing open. Tekla Structures creates the cloud using the properties in the Polygon Properties dialog box, and the points you specify. The filename extension of a saved polyline properties file is gpg.
Field
Line type Line color
389
Field
Bulge for all lines Fill type Fill color Fill angle Scale and rotation of fill in direction x Scale and rotation of fill in direction y Usage
More information Line properties (p. 343) Fill/Hatch type (p. 347) Color (p. 347) Modifying fill/hatch types (p. 358)
1. 2.
Double-click the Draw cloud icon. Enter or modify the polygon properties.
3. 4. 5. 6.
Click Apply or OK to save the properties. Pick the first corner point (1). Pick the other corner points (24). Pick the starting corner point again (1), or click the middle mouse button to close the polygon.
Common drawing object properties (p. 343) Working with drawing objects (p. 370) Using commands (p. 28)
This command creates a single or multiple lines of text in a drawing. You must have a drawing open.
390
Description
Tekla Structures creates the text using the properties in the Text Properties dialog box. The filename extension of a saved text properties file is txt.
Field
Text
More information Enter the required text in the Text field. Use the Enter key to move to the next line:
Color Height Font Angle Alignment Frame type Leader line Frame color Arrow type Arrow size Place... Usage
Text with multiple lines can be modified like any other text. Text is left aligned by default. Line spacing is defined automatically by the font size.
Color (p. 347) Font (p. 347) The angle of the line the text follows. Alignment options for multiple lines of text. Frame type (p. 348) Leader line (p. 345) Color (p. 347) Arrow properties (p. 345) Place (p. 348)
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Double-click the Add text icon. In the Text Properties dialog box, type your text in the Text field. Modify the other text properties as required. Click OK to save the properties and exit the Text Properties dialog box. Pick a point in the drawing to insert the line of text. Continue picking to add the same line of text elsewhere in the drawing.
See also
Common drawing object properties (p. 343) Working with drawing objects (p. 370) Using commands (p. 28)
This command creates a single or multiple lines of text with a leader line to a point you specify in the drawing. You must have a drawing open. Tekla Structures creates the text at the end of the leader line. The leader line appears in the drawing. 1. 2. 3. Double-click the Add text with leader line icon. In Text Properties dialog box, enter your text in the Text field. Modify the other text properties as required.
391
4. 5. 6. 7.
See also
Click OK to save the properties and exit the Text Properties dialog box. In the drawing, pick the starting point for the leader line. Pick the end point for the leader line. Tekla Structures creates the text at the end point of the leader line. Repeat steps 56 to add the same text elsewhere in the drawing.
Add Text > Text (p. 390) Common drawing object properties (p. 343) Working with drawing objects (p. 370) Using commands (p. 28)
This command creates a single or multiple lines of text along a line you specify in a drawing. You must have a drawing open. Tekla Structures creates a single line of text along a line that you define by picking two points in the drawing. The line itself does not appear in the drawing. Tekla Structures creates the text to the right of the insertion point, above the line you defined. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Double-click the Add text along line icon. In the Text Properties dialog box, enter your text in the Text field. Modify the other text properties as required. Click OK to save the properties and exit the Text Properties dialog box. In the drawing, pick the start of the line along which you want the text to appear. Pick the end point of the line along which you want the text to appear. Pick a point above the line to indicate the insertion point for the text. Repeat steps 57 to add the same text elsewhere in the drawing.
Usage
See also
Add Text > Text (p. 390) Common drawing object properties (p. 343) Working with drawing objects (p. 370) Using commands (p. 28)
This command creates a single or mu ltiple lines of text with a visible line which has an arrow at the second point picked (or end point). You must have a drawing open. Tekla Structures orientates the text according to the starting and end points you pick. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Double-click the Add Text Along Line, Arrow at End Point icon to open the Text Properties dialog box. Type your text in the Text field. Select the arrow type in the Arrow: Type list box. Modify the other text properties as required. Click OK to save the properties and exit the Text Properties dialog box. In the drawing, pick the starting point of the line. Pick the end point of the line. This is where Tekla Structures creates the arrow.
392
8. 9.
See also
Pick the insertion point of the text. Tekla Structures creates the line, and positions the text to the right of the insertion point. Repeat steps 68 to add the same line of text elsewhere in the drawing.
Add Text > Text (p. 390) Common drawing object properties (p. 343) Working with drawing objects (p. 370) Using commands (p. 28)
This command creates a single or multiple lines of text with a visible line which has an arrow at the first point picked (or starting point). You must have a drawing open. Tekla Structures orientates the text according to the starting and end points you pick. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Double-click the Add Text Along Line, Arrow At Start Point icon to open the Text Properties dialog box. Type your text in the Text field. Select the arrow type in the Arrow: Type list box. Modify the other text properties as required. Click OK to save the properties and exit the Text Properties dialog box. In the drawing, pick the starting point of the line. This is where Tekla Structures creates the arrow. Pick the end point of the line. Pick the insertion point of the text. Tekla Structures creates the line and positions the text to the right of the insertion point. Repeat steps 68 to add the same line of text elsewhere in the drawing.
See also
Add Text > Text (p. 390) Common drawing object properties (p. 343) Working with drawing objects (p. 370) Using commands (p. 28)
This command creates marks for all parts, bolts, and connections, or selected parts and bolts. You must have a drawing open. For each view, Tekla Structures creates marks using the properties in the View Part Mark Properties, View Bolt Mark Properties, and View Connection Mark Properties dialog boxes.
Usage
Part mark properties file is vpm. Bolt mark properties file is vsm. Connection mark properties file is vjm. Select Annotating > Add Part Marks > For All Parts.
To create marks for all parts, bolts, and connections: 1. To create marks for the selected parts and bolts:
393
1. 2.
See also
Select the parts and bolts. Click Annotating > Add Part Marks > For Selected Parts, or right-click and select Add Part Mark from the pop-up menu.
Common drawing object properties (p. 343) Mark properties (p. 292)
This command creates a weld mark in a picked position in a drawing. You must have a drawing open. Tekla Structures creates the weld mark using the properties in the Weld Mark Properties dialog box. The filename extension of a saved weld mark properties file is wls. 1. 2. 3. 4. Double-click the Add Weld Mark icon. Enter or modify the weld symbol properties. Click Apply or OK to save the properties. Pick the position of the weld symbol.
See also
Weld marks in drawings (p. 312) Weld properties Placing (p. 239) Common drawing object properties (p. 343) Working with drawing objects (p. 370) Using commands (p. 28)
This command creates a level mark (an elevation dimension) in the position you indicate. You must have a drawing open. Tekla Structures creates the level mark using to the properties in the Level Mark Properties dialog box. The filename extension of a saved level mark properties file is lev. The options on the General tab are:
Field
Prefix Visibility of numeric value Postfix Precision Format
Description Displays text before the mark. Defines the visibility of the numeric value. Displays text after the mark. Defines the precision of the level mark dimension. Defines the format of the level mark dimension.
394
Field
Use grouping
Description Defines whether to use different grouping options to represent the level mark dimensions. Defines the units used in level mark dimensions. The options are automatic, mm, cm, m, foot - inch and inch.
Units
For more information on the options in the Appearance tab, see Common drawing object properties (p. 343). If you try to create a level mark in a drawing view where the level of the part is not clear (e.g. xy plane view), Tekla Structures uses the highest top level.
Usage
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Double-click the Add Level Mark icon. Type your text in the Text field. Tekla Structures adds the elevation dimension after it in the mark. Select the prefix for the positive level. Modify the other level mark properties as required. Click OK to save the properties and exit the Level Mark Properties dialog box.. In the drawing, pick the starting point for the leader line. This is the point Tekla Structures dimensions. Pick a point to indicate the side on which Tekla Structures creates the mark. Repeat steps 67 to add level marks elsewhere in the drawing.
To change the position of the reference point that Tekla Structures uses to dimension elevations, go to the Attributes tab in the drawing view properties dialog box and use the Datum point for elevations field. For more information, see Elevation dimensions (p. 155).
You can move level marks in horizontal direction by selecting the level mark and dragging it horizontally to a new location while pressing down the Shift key. Common drawing object properties (p. 343) Working with drawing objects (p. 370) Elevation dimensions (p. 155) Dimension types (p. 132) (Elevation) Using commands (p. 28)
See also
395
This command creates a revision mark in a picked position in a drawing. You must have a drawing open. You have the following options to create revision marks:
Option
Arrow on Left... Arrow on Right... Along Line, Arrow on Left... Along Line, Arrow on Right...
Description Creates a revision mark with an arrow pointing to the left. Creates a revision mark with an arrow pointing to the right. Creates a revision mark along a line and with an arrow pointing to the left. Creates a revision mark along a line and with an arrow pointing to the right.
Tekla Structures creates the revision mark using the properties in the Revision Mark Properties dialog box. The filename extension of a saved revision mark properties file is rev.
Usage
1. 2. 3.
Select Annotating > Properties > Revision Mark... to open the Revision Mark Properties dialog box. Enter the mark, date, and information on the changes. Tekla Structures shows these in the revision table of the drawing. Modify the other revision mark properties as required.
To exactly place the revision mark in the position you pick, click the Place... button and select fixed in the Placing list box.
4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
See also
Click OK to save the properties and exit the Revision Mark Properties dialog box. Click Annotating > Add Revision Mark and select an option. (In the drawing, pick two points on the line. They define the slope of the mark.) Pick a point (on the line) to place the mark. Repeat steps 67 to add revision marks elsewhere in the drawing.
Common drawing object properties (p. 343) Working with drawing objects (p. 370) Using commands (p. 28)
Copies and rotates objects around a given line on the work plane. Positive rotation is according to the right hand rule (clockwise when looking from the starting point of the rotation axis).
396
Field
X0 Y0 Number of copies Rotation angle
Description The x and y coordinates of the starting point of the rotation axis.
Usage
To rotate around a line on the work plane: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Select the object(s) to copy. Click Edit > Copy > Rotate.... Pick a point, or enter the coordinates of the rotation axis. Enter the number of copies. Enter the rotation angle. Click Copy.
Copies and mirrors objects through a plane that is perpendicular to the work plane and passes through a line you specify.
Field
X0 Y0 Angle Usage
Description The x and y coordinates of the mirroring plane starting point. The angle of the mirroring plane.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Select the object(s) to copy. Click Edit > Copy > Mirror.... Pick the starting point of the mirroring plane, or enter its coordinates and angle. Pick the end point of the mirroring plane, or enter its coordinates and angle. Click Copy.
Moves objects by rotating them around a given line, either on the work plane, or in the work plane z direction. Positive rotation is according to the right hand rule (clockwise when looking from the rotation axis starting point).
397
Field
X0 Y0 Rotation angle
Description The x and y coordinates of the rotation axis starting point. The rotation angle between the original and new position(s).
Usage
To rotate around a line in the work plane z direction: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Select the object(s) to move. Click Edit > Move > Rotate.... Select Z in the Around list box. Pick a point, or enter the coordinates of the rotation axis. Enter the rotation angle. Click Move. Select the object(s) to move. Click Edit > Move > Rotate.... Select line in the Around list box. Pick the starting point of the rotation axis, or enter its starting coordinates and angle. Pick the end point of the rotation axis, or enter its starting coordinates and angle. Enter the angle of rotation. Click Move.
Moves objects by mirroring them through a plane that is perpendicular to the work plane and passes through a defined line.
Field
X0 Y0 Angle Usage
Description The x and y coordinates of the mirroring plane starting point. The angle of the mirroring plane.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Select the object(s) to move. Click Edit > Move > Mirror... Pick the starting point of the mirroring plane, or enter its starting point and angle. Pick the end point of the mirroring plane, or enter its end point and angle. Click Move.
Trim
Synopsis Preconditions
Shortens or extends a line relative to the boundary you select. The boundary does not have to be a line, it can be a part, arc, or rectangle, for example. You must have a drawing open.
398
Usage
To shorten a line: 1. 2. 3. 4. Click Edit > Trim. Select the boundary line. Click the middle mouse button. Click anywhere within the horizontal line to cut it at the boundary line.
Boundary line Horizontal line To extend a line: 1. 2. 3. 4. Click Edit > Trim. Select the boundary line. Click the middle mouse button. Click the right end of the horizontal line to extend it to the boundary line.
Split
Synopsis
Cuts an object into two pieces at a point you select.You can split the following objects:
399
Preconditions Usage
You must have a drawing open. To split a line: 1. Select the line first.
2. 3. 4.
Click Edit > Split. Pick a point to indicate the cutting location. Tekla Structures splits the line into two lines:
Divide
Synopsis
Cuts an object into a number of segments that you specify. You can divide the following objects:
Preconditions Usage
Lines Arcs.
You must have a drawing open. To divide a single line into four lines: 1. Select the line.
2.
3. 4.
Type 4 in the Number field and click OK. Tekla Structures divides the line into four lines:
400
Introduction
This chapter explains how to generate and print reports and drawings in Tekla Structures. We do not cover setting up printers in the Windows environment. It is assumed that print devices have already been set up and tested in the Windows environment by an experienced administrator. Refer to your operating system manuals and help files for further information on setting up printers.
This chapter has been written for Tekla Structures users who are responsible for setting up and maintaining printing services for themselves and other users. You will find it useful to have some experience setting up and managing Windows printers. This chapter is divided into the following sections:
Creating reports (p. 401) Printing drawings (p. 412) Printing drawings to file (p. 417) Creating a PDF file (p. 421) The printer catalog (p. 422)
401
Topics
Producing reports on entire model (p. 402) Producing reports on selected parts (p. 402) Producing reports on selected drawings (p. 404) Template Editor in report creating (p. 404) Creating templates on nested assemblies (p. 404) Producing reports on nested assemblies (p. 407) Defining reports in HTML (p. 407) Creating bending diagrams on reinforcement bars (p. 408) Report options (p. 411) Viewing reports (p. 412)
5. 6. 7. 8.
You can create reports without numbering the model objects. This is useful when you need to produce draft reports from large multi-user models. Tekla Structures still warns you if numbering is not up to date. Producing reports on selected parts (p. 402) Producing reports on selected drawings (p. 404)
See also
402
4. 5.
Click on a report template on the list. Enter the report title(s). You can enter up to three user-defined titles. Every title is not used in every standard report. Title1, for example, is used to show phase information in the material_list report. Check the report you want to use in the Template Editor to see which title(s) it uses.
For a list of fields that can be used in reports, see Template attributes.
Enter a name for the report file. Use the Browse... button to locate the destination folder where the report will be created. If you do not indicate a destination folder, the report is created in the current model directory. Reports have the file extension .xsr. 8. Set the report options on the Options tab. For more information, see Report options (p. 411). 9. Click Create from selected to run a report on the selected parts. 10. Click Show to show the report, or Print... to print the report.
See also
6. 7.
Producing reports on entire model (p. 402) Producing reports on selected drawings (p. 404)
403
For a list of fields that can be used in reports, see Template attributes.
9. Enter a name for the report file. 10. Use the Browse... button to locate the destination folder where the report will be created. If you do not indicate a destination folder, the report is created in the current model directory. Reports have the file extension .xsr. 11. Set the report options on the Options tab. For more information, see Report options (p. 411). 12. Click Create from selected to run a report on the selected parts. 13. Click Show to show the report, or Print... to print the report.
See also
Producing reports on entire model (p. 402) Producing reports on selected parts (p. 402)
Template Editor (TplEd) is a tool for creating, editing and managing templates. Tekla Structures includes a large number of standard report templates. With Template Editor you can modify existing report templates, or create new ones to suit your needs. Templates are used for different purposes, for example to print a list of parts used in an assembly. Templates are either textual or graphical, depending on their contents. Graphical template definitions have the file extension .tpl. Textual template definitions have the file extension .rpt. Both textual and graphical templates can get data from Tekla Structures. For more information, see Template Editor Users Guide.
404
Textual templates
This example demonstrates how to create a nested assembly structure to a textual template similar to the one in the following picture:
To create a nested assembly structure to a textual template: 1. 2. 3. 4. Start the Template Editor by clicking Tools > Templates Editor.... Click File > New. Select Textual template. Add rows in the template by clicking Insert > Component > Row. As you add rows, you can select the content type for the row. In this example, we will create four rows. For the first and third row, select the ASSEMBLY content type, and for the second and fourth row, select the PART content type. 5. Add the nested assembly structure for the template by using the options in Sorting and drawing order. Move the second and third row down one level and the fourth row down two levels by using the Down arrow icon.
For more information, see " Sort and draw order" in the Template Editor documentation. 6. Add value fields to the rows to get the required data from your Tekla Structures database. In this example, the added value fields are assembly or part position, number and weight.
To add the value fields, select the row and click Insert > Value field. Next, click to define the insertion point for the value field within the row. When you have defined the insertion point, a Select Attribute dialog box appears prompting you to select an attribute for the value field. For each row, select the required attributes.
405
For more information, see "Insert a value field" in the Template Editor documentation. 7. Organize the template to make it look the way you want when printing. For example:
Move objects to display the nested assembly structure in the printed report: Select the object you want to move and drag it to the desired position. Align objects: Select all the objects you want to align, right-click and select the appropriate option from the pop-up menu, for example Align > Right. Add a header and a footer: Click Insert > Component > Page header and Page footer. Add the required information to the header and footer.
For more information, see "Working with template components" in the Template Editor documentation. Below is the example textual template and a report that has been created using the template.
Graphical templates
You can create graphical templates for nested assemblies in the same manner as textual templates. The difference between graphical and textual templates is that you are able to display project and company information and graphics, such as table outlines, pictures or symbols, in graphical templates. For more information, see "Graphical templates" in the Template documentation.
406
When you use a template having a nested assembly structure, Tekla Structures displays the assembly hierarchy in the report when you view or print it.
When you are producing reports only on nested assemblies, select the assemblies and use the Create from selected button to create the reports.
If you want to define HTML report yourself, remember the following requirements:
Type of the report template must be Graphical in the Template Editor. Filename extension for the report template must be .html.rpt.
407
Simple example report
When viewing the created report, set Show report to With associated viewer on the Options tab of the Reports dialog box. Click Tools > Template Editor... to start the Template Editor. In the Template Editor, click File > New.... Select the Graphical template template type and click OK. Click Insert > Component > Row... and select the PART content type. Click Insert > Value Field... and click two points to define the location of the field in the row. Then select a field (PART_POS, for example) and click OK. Repeat this to add all the desired fields. Click Insert > Component > Header.... Click Insert > Text... and type in the heading for the report and click OK. Then click two points to define the location of the heading in the header row. Repeat this to create headings for all the value fields.
6. 7.
Header that contains text fields Row that contains two value fields 8. 9. Click File > Save as... and browse to the template forder ..\environment\*your_environment*\template and type in the name test.html.rpt in the File name field. In Tekla Structures, click Drawings & Reports > Create Report... to open the Report dialog box and run the report.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Click Drawings & Reports > Template Editor... to start Template Editor. In the Template Editor, click File > New.... Select the Graphical template and click OK. Select REBAR or MESH content type for the row and the value fields you want to use. Insert a graphical field to your REBAR or MESH content type row. In the Graphical Field Properties, click Free attributes... button.
408
7.
In the Free attributes dialog box, add the required attributes and values. The available attributes and values are:
Attribute
FontName FontSize FontColor
Default value
romsim 2.0 1 (black)
RotationAxis
Exaggeration
EndMark
Dimensions
BendingAngle
409
8. 9.
Example
See also
Name
CODE
Explanation Code for the surface treatment defined in the product_finishes.dat file. For example, TS1. Volume of mortar used in surface treatment.
MORTAR_VOLUME
410
Name
NAME NUMBER_OF_TILE_TYPES SURFACING_NAME SURFACING_TYPE_NUMBER TILE_VOLUME TYPE
Explanation Text in the Name field in the Surface Treatment Properties dialog box. Number of tiles used in a tile pattern. Surface treatment name defined in the product_finishes.dat file. Surface treatment type number defined in the product_finishes.dat file. Volume of tiles used in surface treatment (without mortar volume). Surface treatment type in the Surface Treatment Properties dialog box.
See also
Enter the sequence name in the text field, or in the table part row.
To create a list showing all the parts belonging to a sequence, use the following rule in a row or intermediate row in the Template Editor:
if(GetValue("<name of sequence>") != 0 ) then Output() else StepOut() endif
In the above rule, <name of sequence> stands for a user-defined attribute that is defined as sequence.
Report options
Use the settings in the Options tab to specify how Tekla Structures creates and displays reports.
Show report on screen only Write report to file Display report in viewer
To show the report on screen when you click Create from all, or Create from selected, click Yes in the Show created report list box. To write the report to file, click No in the Show created report list box. Once Tekla Structures creates the report, you can display it by clicking Show on the Report tab. The Show report option controls whether Tekla Structures displays the report in a window, or using the associated file viewer, when you click Show.
411
Click Browse... to display the Select file... dialog box, where you can indicate the destination folder and filename. By default Tekla Structures uses the filter *.xsr to show Tekla Structures reports only. Click Select... to choose the report font. Click Printer setup... to use the Windows Print dialog box to set printer-specific options such as paper size, orientation, and so on Click Print to print the report.
Viewing reports
To view a report you have already created: 1. 2. 3. 4. Click the Reports icon. Click Browse... in the Report dialog box to locate the report file you want to view. Click Show to view the report in the List dialog box. Click OK to exit the List dialog box.
When you have the List dialog box open, you can highligh a part, an assembly or a cast unit in the model by highlighting it in the list.
Tekla Structures prints drawings to both selected print devices and to file, from either the Drawing Editor or the drawing list in the Model Editor. You can also use the print drawing option to output 2D DXF and DWG files. For more on adding print devices, read Setting up a print device (p. 422). You can print drawings using the Print drawings icon .
Topics
412
Printing single drawings (p. 414) Printing on multiple sheets Printing multiple drawings (p. 415) Printing options (p. 416)
Use the default drawing frames in Tekla Structures, which you can define when you print drawings. Use DWG/DXF files in the table layouts as drawing frames.
Drawing frames
You can have a frame around drawing contents, or two drawing frames inside each other. You can create foldmarks, as guides for folding printed drawings. They are small lines between and perpendicular to the drawing frames.
Frames Foldmark You can set colors for drawing frames and foldmarks. If you print monocolor drawings, the colors define the line weight. See Color (p. 425). To set drawing frames and foldmarks: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. In the Model Editor, click File > Print > Print Drawings... , or , to open the Print
Click Frames.... The Drawing Frame Properties dialog appears. Select the checkbox(es) of the frame(s) you want to print. Enter the distances between each frame and the left, right, bottom, and top edge of the paper (in millimeters). Select a color for each frame. To print the foldmarks, select the Foldmarks checkbox.
413
7. 8.
Enter the horizontal and vertical distances of the first foldmarks from the lower right corner of the outer frame, and between the other foldmarks (in millimeters). Select a foldmark color.
4.
See also
In the Print Drawings dialog box, indicate the print device you want to use. For more information, see Printing options (p. 416).
414
1. 2.
Click Drawing File > Print Drawings.... Select Print on multiple sheets option.
To print the drawing out successfully on multiple sheets, make sure that the layout of the drawing supports printing on smaller sheets.
If you select Auto in the Orientation listbox, Tekla Structures calculates the required amount of sheets needed to print the drawing. The amount of sheets is rounded to the nearest number. Tekla Structures selects an orientation that results in the smallest number of printed sheets. When you use a fixed scale, the number of sheets is rounded up. When you print to files, Tekla Structures automatically names the files by adding the sheet number to the end of the file name. The numbers start from 1, and they are placed at the lower right corner of the sheet. Use the variable XS_PRINT_MULTISHEET_BORDER to set borders that are left out from the smaller sheets.
Example
415
4.
In the Print Drawings dialog box, indicate the print device(s) you want to use. If you select several print devices, Tekla Structures sends each drawing to the device with the smallest paper size on which the drawing will fit. For instance, if you have 2 printers selected, one A4 and one A3, Tekla Structures will send A4 drawings to the A4 print device and A3 to the A3 print device. For more information, see Printing options (p. 416).
See also
Printing options
The Print Drawings dialog box contains several options, which are explained below.
Option
Print to file Include revision mark to file name
Comments Printing to file (specific folder) (p. 419) Adds the latest revision of the printed drawing to the filename. Uses revision number by default. However, if you set the variable XS_SHOW_REVISION_MARK_ON_DRA WING_LIST to TRUE, then uses the revision mark.
Scaling: Auto
Tekla Structures fits the drawing to the paper size. This is useful when printing preview drawings on A4. Scales the drawing manually. 1.0 = 100%, 0.9 = 90%, and so on. Prints a drawing on multiple small sheets. Defines the number of copies.
Scaling: Scale
416
Option
Orientation: Auto Orientation: Landscape Orientation: Portrait Print area: Entire drawing Print area: Visible area Frames
Comments Orientates the drawing to suit the paper. Prints the drawing horizontally - as it is displayed on the screen. Prints the drawing vertically. Prints the entire drawing. Prints the area visible in the current drawing window. See Drawing frames and foldmarks (p. 413).
If you are printing a drawing to a smaller paper, the line weights are scaled accordingly. This means that no lines are drawn too thickly and the drawings are more readable.
To force a drawing on to a different size paper: Open the drawing, click Drawing Properties > Layout. In Size definition mode select Specified size. Insert the required sheet size into Drawing size.
If a drawing does not fit to the paper or is printed to a wrong location, use the following variables to move the drawing print origin:
XS_PLOT_ORIGIN_MOVE_X XS_PLOT_ORIGIN_MOVE_Y
You can disable the print date information to prevent the loss of information when working with multi-user models. This is useful in cases where a user modifies drawings while another user prints the same drawings. Use the XS_DISABLE_DRAWING_PLOT_DATE variable to disable the print date. For more information on printing, see Printing drawings (p. 412).
417
Printing to file (p. 419) Printing to file (specific folder) (p. 419)
Click Browse to locate a Windows printer driver. Type Printer instance (name) here. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Click Add. Type in a printer instance (name) for the print device as indicated above, followed immediately (no spaces) by @path\folder\. The folder must already exist. For example, 11X17@d:\small\ . Click Browse... to access the Select Printer dialog box, which shows a list of the Windows printer drivers currently configured on your PC. Click a printer driver that is configured to print to file and then OK. Choose By print area as the Paper size. Input the Print area h*b. Read Print area h*b (p. 424). Input a file extension, for example plt for a plot file. Use the Color list box to indicate a color or mono print device. Read Color (p. 425). Click Color table... to map pen size to the on-screen line color. Read Color table (p. 425).
418
10. Click Add. 11. Click Update and then OK to exit the Printer Catalogdialog box. 12. Check Save changes to model folder in the Save Confirmation dialog box.
One way to send different drawing sizes to different folders is to set up a Windows printer to print to file for each paper size you will use. Enter a different destination folder for each paper size in the Printer instances in Tekla Structures.
Printing to file
To print to file, simply follow the instructions in Printing multiple drawings (p. 415) and choose a printer instance that is set up to print to file. The results will appear in the folder you designated when defining the printer instance.
Filenames
The file will have the name shown on the drawing list, with the extension you specified when setting up the print to file device. For customizing the filename, see Switches for naming printfiles (p. 419).
To indicate the drawing type, use the following variables in Tools > Options > Advanced
419
Use the following switches to define the format of plot file names:
Switch
%NAME% %DRAWING_NAME% %NAME.-% %DRAWING_NAME.-% %NAME.% %DRAWING_NAME.% %REV% %REVISION% %DRAWING_REVISION%
Result P_1
Description Part, assembly, or cast unit position, using the filename format prefix_number. Part, assembly, or cast unit position, using the filename format prefix-number. Part, assembly, or cast unit position, using the format prefixnumber. Drawing revision number, if
Include revision mark to filename is checked in the Print Drawings dialog box.
P-1
P1
%REV_MARK% %REVISION_MARK% %DRAWING_REVISION_ MARK% %TITLE% %DRAWING_TITLE% %UDA:DRAWING_USERF IELD_1% %REV? - Rev% %REVISION? - Rev% %DRAWING_REVISION? - Rev% %UDA:DR_TITLE1% %UDA:DR_TITLE2% %UDA:DR_TITLE3% %UDA:DR_DEFAULT_HO LE_SIZE% %UDA:DR_DEFAULT_WE LD_SIZE%
Drawing revision mark, if Include revision mark to filename is checked in the Print Drawings dialog box. Drawing name from the drawing properties dialog box. Value of a user-defined attribute. Adds conditional prefixes. In this example, if REV exists, Tekla Structures adds the text between ? and % to the filename. Drawing titles (three fields) from the drawing properties dialog box. Default bolt hole size defined by Bolt size limit in the bolt mark properties dialog box.
Weld size limit from the drawings
Base plate
The Result column above shows the filename for an example drawing with these properties:
420
Property Part position Revision number Revision mark Name Title (field 1) User-defined field 1
You can also string several switches together to create filename. The example below results in the filename E_P1_PLATE_Revision=2.dxf:
XS_DRAWING_PLOT_FILE_NAME_A=E_%NAME.%_%TITLE%%REV?_Revisi on=%%REV%.dxf
You can also type these switches in the file name field in the Print Drawings dialog box.
If you set the variables and switches in the initialization file, enclose each switch in double % characters, for example, %%NAME%%. Tekla Structures does not distinguish between upper and lower case letters. For example, a drawing named A.1 overwrites a drawing named a.1.
For more information on creating PDF files, log on to Tekla Extranet and go to Hints & Tips > Add Adobe Printer driver to the printer catalog (p. 421) Creating PDF files (p. 422)
421
Click Browse... to access the Select Printer dialog box. Click the Adobe postscript printer driver and then OK. 5. Set Paper size to By print area. 6. Input the print area. Read Print area h*b (p. 424). 7. Input the file extension as ps. 8. For color, select Black/white. 9. Click Color table to map pen size to the on-screen line color. Read Color table (p. 425). 10. Click Update and then OK to exit the Printer Catalog dialog box. 11. Check Save changes to model folder in the Save Confirmation dialog box.
4.
When creating PDF files, do not use the Print to file option.
Filenames
The file will have the name shown on the drawing list, with the extension ps.
As a safeguard, backup the plotdev.bin and standard.fms files once you have configured your printers. You will then be able to quickly restore your printer catalog in the event of a system failure. Setting up a print device (p. 422) Modifying a print device (p. 426) Deleting a print device (p. 426)
Topics
422
There are two stages to setting up a print device in Tekla Structures. Firstly you need to add printer instances to the printer catalog. By default several printer instances are already defined. Secondly, you need point these printer instances to a specific Windows printer, either attached directly to your system, or available via a network. You will define the majority of print settings when you set up the print device.
Topics
Adding a print device (p. 423) Selecting paper size (p. 424) Print area h*b (p. 424) Color (p. 425)
Click Browse... to locate a Windows printer driver. Type Printer instance (name) here. 2. 3. 4. 5. Click an existing printer instance that has similar settings to the one you want to create. We will use this as a template. Type in a new printer instance (name) for the print device. Click Add. Click Browse... to access the Select Printer dialog box, which shows a list of the Windows printer drivers currently configured on your PC. Click a print device and then OK.
423
Choose a paper size. Read Selecting paper size (p. 424). Input the print area. Read Print area h*b (p. 424). Use the Offset for print origin fields to move the drawing print origin, if necessary. Use the Color list box to indicate a color or mono print device. Read Color (p. 425). Click Color table to map pen size to the on screen line color. Read Color table (p. 425). Click Update and then OK to exit the Printer Catalog dialog box. Check Save changes to model folder in the Save Confirmation dialog box.
Tekla Structures lists named paper size for most sizes A3 and smaller. This method is recommended for print devices A3 and smaller.
If you cannot find the paper size you need in named paper sizes in Tekla Structures, use the By print area option.
By print area: The print device selects the paper size based on the print area. This method
is recommended for print devices A2 and larger. If you use a named paper size with a print device larger than A3, drawings larger than the print area are cropped to the size of the print area. for Xsteel 5.0 and is not recommended for use in other circumstances.
None: No size information is sent to the print device. This option provides legacy support
To print to different paper sizes, use Windows Print Manager to define several printers, each using a different paper size, but all connected to the same physical device. For more information on setting up print devices in Windows, consult your operating system documentation.
Tekla Structures overrides the paper size defined in Windows printer setup if the information is entered in the printer instances.
When setting the print area, as a minimum you should use the paper size less the hard clip margins of the printer. Consult your printer documentation for the hard clip margins of your printer.
424
When printing to multiple print devices, Tekla Structures prints the drawing to the print device with the smallest print area on which the drawing will fit. The print area also affects autoscaling and autorotate. Tekla Structures uses the print area values to position the print on the paper. When defining the print area, ensure that the values for h and b relate to the paper size required.
Value h b
Color
Use this option to indicate whether the print device will print in color or black/white (mono). If you choose color, Tekla Structures prints lines with the colors defined in the drawing properties.
Color table
Click Color table... to create a pen map for the print device. The color table maps different screen colors to different line weights. Note that the color you use for the drawing background is not printed in drawings.
425
Pen number
The pen numbers refer to the line weights used in the printed drawing. By default, pen 0 has a line weight of 0.1 mm. To obtain higher pen numbers, multiply the default pen thickness by the pen number. Set the default pen thickness using the variable XS_BASE_LINE_WIDTH. The line thicknesses displayed on the screen are taken from the first printer on the printer list.
If you create black and white drawings, the pen numbers in the Color Table also affect the line thicknesses displayed on the screen. See also Colors in drawings (p. 37).
Check Save changes to model folder in the Save Confirmation dialog box.
426
Index
a
absolute dimensions................................................... 132 orientation ........................................................... 210 zero at start point ................................................ 210 add angular dimension ............................................... 226 add dimensions for all parts ....................................... 227 add free dimension..................................................... 224 add horizontal dimension ........................................... 223 add orthogonal dimension .......................................... 224 add parallel dimension ............................................... 224 add perpendicular dimension ..................................... 224 add vertical dimension................................................ 224 adding......................................................................... 228 adding views to drawings ........................................... 379 additional drawing objects .......................................... 341 additional marks ......................................................... 350 creating ............................................................... 393 Adobe Printer driver ................................................... 421 aligning drawing views...................................................... 380 section views....................................................... 267 along line, arrow at end point ..................................... 392 along line, arrow at start point .................................... 393 alternative drawing view scales.................................. 123 anchor bolt plans ....................................................73, 76 drawing filters ........................................................ 76 angle dimension............................................................ 226 dimension type .................................................... 201 of skewed parts ................................................... 153 unfolding.............................................................. 141 arc by end points and center..................................... 386 by three points..................................................... 387 around drawing objects .............................................. 348 arrange drawing views ............................................... 379 arranging drawing objects ................................................... 374 drawing views...................................................... 379 arrow .......................................................................... 345 assembly drawings .............................................. 32, 250 creating..................................................................70 properties ............................................................101 associative drawings ....................................................91 associative notes ....................................... 353, 357, 368 AutoDrawings .............................................................107 cloning ...................................................................81 AutoDrawings wizard log file ....................................................................80 AutoDrawings wizards ..................................................49 autoscaling drawing views..........................................129 autosizing drawings ........................................... 128, 129
b
background color ..........................................................37 bending diagrams .......................................................408 bending line dimension...............................................141 black and white drawings .............................................37 bolt dimensions...........................................................142 bolt groups..................................................................172 bolt internal dimensions..............................................143 bolt mark properties....................................................335 bolt size element.........................................................310 bolts in drawings ..........................................................278 bulge...........................................................................343
c
c/c ...............................................................................144 cast unit drawings.........................................................35 creating..................................................................71 cast-unit drawings properties ............................................................103 center line type......................................................................273 centered bolt...............................................................153 centered part ..............................................................153 chamfer marks adding..................................................................368 change symbol .............................................................92
TEKLA STRUCTURES 15
427
check dimension point validity ....................................229 check dimensions .......................................................164 circle by center and radius ............................................385 by three points .....................................................386 cloning ..........................................................................56 assembly drawings ................................................82 cast unit drawings..................................................82 checking dimensions and views ............................90 dimensions for selected view.................................88 general arrangement drawings..............................83 including single-part views.....................................82 marks.....................................................................89 single-part drawings ..............................................82 through ..................................................................82 cloning drawings ...........................................................85 cloning template............................................................85 definition ................................................................56 cloning templates..........................................................64 adding to Master Drawing Catalog ........................62 creating preview images........................................86 editing properties ...................................................63 close dimensions ........................................................175 closing drawings ................................................................98 closing dimensions ............................................ 159, 163 cloud ...........................................................................389 color of drawing objects................................................347 printing.................................................................425 special .................................................................349 color mode ....................................................................37 color table ...................................................................425 columns ......................................................................250 combine ......................................................................167 combine dimension lines ............................................227 combine distance........................................................170 combining dimensions ................................................167 bolt groups...........................................................172 combine distance.................................................170 min distance .................................................170 common properties .....................................................343 connect dimension line ...............................................228 connection mark properties ........................................336 content........................................................................293 controlling dimensions ................................................166 coordinate system in drawings ..........................................................247
copying drawing objects....................................................376 drawing views ......................................................382 mirror ...................................................................397 rotate....................................................................396 cover-up area..............................................................374 cover-up line ...............................................................374 cover-up tools .............................................................374 create drawings from templates....................................85 creating additional drawing objects ...................................341 additional marks...................................................393 assembly drawings ....................................... 70, 101 cast unit drawings ..................................................71 cast-unit drawings................................................103 drawings ................................................................48 drawings in AutoDrawings .....................................80 drawings with AutoDrawings wizards ..................107 general arrangement drawings ..................... 72, 104 multi-drawings........................................................78 multidrawings.......................................................105 single-part drawings...................................... 70, 100 workshop drawings ................................................70 creating drawings using cloning temlates ...........................................64 using rule sets........................................................62 using saved settings ..............................................58 curved dimension........................................................225
d
defining fixed drawing sizes ..............................................128 deformations ...............................................................256 deleting dimension point....................................................228 detail mark ..................................................................267 view label .............................................................297 detail properties ..........................................................267 detail symbol ...............................................................110 detail view ...................................................................110 detail view label...........................................................267 device catalog .............................................................418 dim_planes_table.txt ...................................................135 dimension lines reinforcement.......................................................163 dimension marks reinforcement.......................................................158 dimension point...........................................................228 dimension properties.......................................... 197, 222
428
TEKLA STRUCTURES 15
dimensioning automatic............................................................. 133 bolts.............................................................142, 218 combine............................................................... 167 GA drawings........................................................ 230 general arrangement drawings ..184, 185, 186, 221 grids in general arrangement drawings............... 177 grouping .............................................................. 220 manual ................................................................ 133 nested assemblies .............................................. 164 parts ............................................................137, 217 parts in general arrangement drawings.......183, 184 position........................................................145, 219 pre-defined settings............................................. 133 sub-assemblies ................................................... 221 dimensioning properties ............................................. 216 Dimensions grouping identical objects.................................... 173 dimensions .........................................................204, 211 absolute............................................................... 210 add point ............................................................. 228 all parts................................................................ 227 angle ...........................................................201, 226 appearance ......................................................... 207 closing dimensions......................................159, 163 combine dimension lines..................................... 227 creating using current coordinate system ........... 372 curved ................................................................. 225 curved radial........................................................ 202 format .................................................................. 202 free ...................................................................... 224 horizontal dimension ........................................... 223 marks .................................................................. 211 orthogonal ........................................................... 224 overall.................................................................. 137 parallel................................................................. 224 part dimension position ....................................... 188 perpendicular ...................................................... 224 placing................................................................. 204 position from........................................................ 150 position to............................................................ 147 positioning ........................................................... 151 radius .................................................................. 226 reinforcing bar groups ........................ 157, 159, 161 remove point ....................................................... 228 types............................................................132, 200 vertical dimension ............................................... 224 with orthogonal reference lines ........................... 225 with radial reference lines ................................... 225 x .......................................................................... 223 y .......................................................................... 224 zero point ............................................................ 229
disconnect dimension lines.........................................228 distances between tables ...........................................118 divide ..........................................................................400 dragging drawing objects ...................................................375 Drawing Editor select switches ....................................................29 Drawing Editor toolbars ................................................25 drawing filters ...............................................................76 drawing frames ...........................................................413 drawing layout ............................................................113 introduction..........................................................113 drawing list....................................................................42 buttons...................................................................44 drawing objects.................................................. 343, 375 additional .............................................................341 arranging .............................................................374 copying ................................................................376 dragging ..............................................................375 moving.................................................................376 placing .................................................................348 positioning ...........................................................373 reshaping.............................................................375 working with.........................................................370 drawing properties overview ..............................................................235 drawing property file adding to Masater Drawing Catalog ......................57 drawing property files ............................................ 49, 57 drawing size................................................................126 defining fixed sizes ..............................................128 definition mode ....................................................126 preferred..................................................... 124, 129 specifying ............................................................127 drawing status flags......................................................46 drawing view properties..............................................330
TEKLA STRUCTURES 15
429
drawing views adding..................................................................379 aligning ................................................................380 arranging .............................................................379 as key plan ..........................................................121 autoscaling ..........................................................123 coordinate system ...............................................247 copying ................................................................382 creating................................................................242 exact scale...........................................................242 individual views....................................................244 linking ..................................................................382 moving .................................................................380 name labels .........................................................255 neighbor part visibility ..........................................243 part orientation.....................................................247 part rotation .........................................................248 placing after updating or cloning..........................383 properties.............................................................241 resizing ................................................................381 rotating.................................................................380 working with.........................................................378
drawings assembly drawing ......................................... 32, 101 bolts .....................................................................278 cast unit drawing....................................................35 cast-unit drawing..................................................103 cloning ...................................................................85 closing....................................................................98 common properties ..............................................236 creating ..................................................................48 creating multiple.............................................. 79, 81 creating using cloning templates ...........................64 creating using rule sets..........................................62 creating using saved settings ................................58 editing ..................................................................341 freezing ..................................................................91 general arrangement drawing....................... 35, 104 introduction ............................................................21 issuing....................................................................95 list ..........................................................................42 locking....................................................................91 modifying ...............................................................95 multidrawing.................................................. 36, 105 opening ..................................................................41 part representation...............................................269 printing ........................................................ 412, 414 protection .............................................................238 reinforcement.......................................................282 revising ..................................................................95 saving ....................................................................98 scale ....................................................................123 shortening parts ...................................................254 single-part drawing ....................................... 32, 100 size ......................................................................126 status flags.............................................................46 types ......................................................................32 updating .................................................................93 user-defined attributes .........................................237 using AutoDrawings...............................................80 working with ...........................................................90 DWG/DXF files as key plan...........................................................122 in drawings...........................................................362 properties.............................................................363
430
TEKLA STRUCTURES 15
e
edge chamfers chamfer marks .................................................... 368 color .................................................................... 367 default line color .................................................. 368 default line type ................................................... 368 displaying in drawings ......................................... 364 in drawings .......................................................... 364 line color.............................................................. 364 line type.......................................................364, 367 representation ..................................................... 364 editing dimensions .......................................................... 133 drawings.............................................................. 341 wizard files ............................................................ 61 elevation dimension.................................................... 155 embedded objects ...................................................... 150 end views ................................................................... 125 erection drawings, see general arrangement drawings 35 exaggerated dimensions ............................................ 209
general arrangement drawings............................ 35, 184 anchor bolt plans ...................................................73 cloning ...................................................................83 creating..................................................................72 dimensioning .............176, 177, 183, 185, 186, 221 properties ............................................................104 text tags...............................................................196 GOL ............................................................................144 graphics adding in drawings ..............................................120 grayscale color .............................................................37 grid label frame s width ....................................................................323 grid labels ...................................................................323 grid labelsfixed frame size............................................................323 grids editing..................................................................322 in drawings ..........................................................320
h
handles .......................................................................375 hatch patterns for surface treatment...........................290 hatch types modifying .............................................................358 hatch, see fill types .....................................................347 hiding drawing objects ...................................................377 reinforcing bar lines .............................................284 holding down bolt plan..................................................73 HTML reports..............................................................407 hyperlinks in drawings ..........................................................353
f
fill types ...................................................................... 347 insulation ............................................................. 358 scaling and rotating ............................................. 358 fixed drawing sizes ..................................................... 128 flags.............................................................................. 46 foldmarks.................................................................... 413 font in drawings .......................................................... 347 forward offset.............................................................. 173 foundation plan............................................................. 73 frames ........................................................................ 348 in marks............................................................... 298 frames in drawings ..................................................... 413 freezing drawings................................................................ 91 front views .................................................................. 250
i
images adding in drawings ..............................................120 in drawing objects.......................................................345 include 3D view ..........................................................383 include single parts.....................................................246 insulation ....................................................................358 issuing drawings ...........................................................95
g
GA dimensioning ........................................................ 230 GA, see general arrangement drawings....................... 35 gage ........................................................................... 144
TEKLA STRUCTURES 15
431
k
key plan ......................................................................120 inserting to drawing layout...................................122 of drawing view....................................................121 of DWG/DXF file ..................................................122 knock off ............................................................ 166, 213
l
layout ..........................................................................113 introduction ..........................................................113 projection type .....................................................124 leader line .......................................................... 183, 345 in marks ...............................................................301 in part marks........................................................301 in reinforcement marks ........................................302 level marks......................................................... 350, 394 in drawings ..........................................................315 line ..............................................................................384 properties.............................................................343 link dimension lines.....................................................228 linking drawing views ......................................................382 location .......................................................................117 of drawing views ..................................................124 of end views.........................................................125 of section views ...................................................125 locking drawings ................................................................91 log files AutoDrawings wizard.............................................80
m
main part bolt internal dimension................................143 main part bolt position.................................................151 main part skew position ..............................................152 margins .......................................................................115 mark contents .............................................................211
marks ................................................................. 292, 293 adding templates .................................................298 additional .............................................................350 appearance..........................................................298 bolt mark ..................................................... 295, 335 bolt size element..................................................310 cloning ...................................................................89 connection mark ......................................... 295, 336 leader line ............................................................301 location ................................................................301 merged content....................................................318 merging................................................................316 on dimension line.................................................138 overview...............................................................291 part mark..............................................................294 properties.............................................................334 reinforcement mark..............................................296 splitting.................................................................320 surface treatment mark........................................297 visibility ................................................................299 master drawing ................................................49, 59, 66 catalog properties .....................................57, 60, 63 displaying description ............................................65 removing from Master Drawing Catalog ................69 searching ...............................................................67 Master Drawing Catalog .............. 49, 57, 58, 59, 62, 64 adding cloning templates .......................................62 cloning template.....................................................56 creating folders ......................................................66 deleting folders ......................................................66 displaying master drawing description...................65 editing master drawing properties................... 57, 63 editing rule sets......................................................60 folder view..............................................................66 folders ....................................................................66 moving folders .......................................................66 preview images......................................................65 removing master drawings.....................................69 renaming folders ....................................................66 rule set ...................................................................54 saved settings........................................................54 searching ...............................................................67 selecting displayed master drawings .....................65 showing master drawings from other models ........65 wizard ....................................................................55 wizard files .............................................................61 master drawings showing from other models....................................65 maximum leader line length ........................................183 maximum number of outside dimensions ...................185 merge direction ...........................................................318
432
TEKLA STRUCTURES 15
merging ...................................................................... 317 part marks ........................................................... 316 reinforcement marks ........................................... 320 weld symbols....................................................... 282 min distance ............................................................... 170 modifying drawings................................................................ 95 table layouts ........................................................ 119 moving drawing objects ................................................... 376 drawing views...................................................... 380 mirror................................................................... 398 rotate ................................................................... 397 moving views to another drawing ................................. 97 multi-drawings creating ................................................................. 78 multidrawings ............................................................... 36 properties ............................................................ 105
p
parallel dimension.......................................................224 part dimensions position ................................................................188 part mark leader line...................................................301 part mark to dimension line ........................................138 parts center line type ....................................................273 displaying developed parts in drawings...............256 representation in drawings ..................................269 select in model ......................................................94 pen numbers...............................................................426 pictures in drawings ..........................................................120 placing ........................................................................204 dimensions ..........................................................204 drawing objects ...................................................348 drawing views after updating or cloning ..............383 plate side marks .........................................................213 creating automatically..........................................215 plates orientation in drawings ........................................251 plot area......................................................................424 plotdev.bin ..................................................................422 plotter catalog .............................................................422 adding a file printer..............................................418 plotting ........................................................................416 polygon .......................................................................389 polyline .......................................................................388 position dimensions ....................................................145 position to ...................................................................147 positioning dimensions running dimensions .............................................151 positioning drawing objects ........................................373 preferred dim side.......................................................206 preferred direction of merge .......................................318 preferred scale............................................................123 preferred size..................................................... 124, 129 preview images.............................................................65 creating from cloning templates.............................86 in Master Drawing Catalog ....................................65 print area ....................................................................424 print devices adding..................................................................423 deleting................................................................426 modifying .............................................................426 setting up.............................................................422 printed drawings change symbols ....................................................93 printer catalog.............................................................422
n
neighbor parts in drawing views ................................. 243 nested assemblies dimensioning ....................................................... 164 numeric snap.............................................................. 373
o
object group.................................................................. 59 object group dimensioning rules................................. 186 object groups dimensioning rules .............................................. 186 of arcs and circles ...................................................... 348 of drawing objects ...................................................... 343 of tables...................................................................... 118 of tables in table layout............................................... 117 opening drawings................................................................ 41 orientation................................................................... 247 of plates............................................................... 251 orientation marks........................................................ 274 settings................................................................ 277 orthogonal dimension ................................................. 224 overall dimensions...................................................... 137
TEKLA STRUCTURES 15
433
printer catalogs ...........................................................418 printer instances .........................................................418 printing ........................................................................416 color.....................................................................425 device catalog......................................................418 drawings ..............................................................412 multiple sheets.....................................................414 overview ..............................................................401 reports .................................................................401 single drawings....................................................414 to file ....................................................................417 printing options ...........................................................416 product_finishes.dat....................................................290 projection type ............................................................124 properties....................................................................292 protection in drawings.................................................238 pull-outs ......................................................................304
r
radius ..........................................................................348 dimension ............................................................226 RD symbol ..................................................................229 rebar_config.inp ..........................................................305 re-check dimension point............................................229 recognizable distance .................................................174 rectangle .....................................................................384 reference dimensions, see check dimensions ............164 reference models in drawings ..........................................................369 reference points in dimensioning embedded objects .....................150 reinforcement dimension lines....................................................163 dimension marks .................................................158 dimensions ..........................................................157 in drawings ..........................................................282 reinforcement mark leader line ...................................302 reinforcement marks ...................................................317 reinforcement settings for drawings............................305 reinforcements dimensioning .......................................................221 reinforcing bar groups dimensions .........................................157, 159, 161 reinforcing bar mark leader line base points placing automatically ...........................................304 reinforcing bars hiding lines...........................................................284 relative dimensions .....................................................132 remove dim point circle...............................................229 remove dimension change symbol .............................230
remove dimension point change symbol.....................230 remove dimension point invalidity symbol...................229 reports in HTML ...............................................................407 on entire model ....................................................402 on selected drawings ...........................................404 on selected parts .................................................402 options .................................................................411 printing .................................................................401 sequence numbers ..............................................411 viewing.................................................................412 reshaping drawing objects....................................................375 resizing drawing objects....................................................375 drawing views ......................................................381 revising drawings ..........................................................95 revision..........................................................................95 revision marks.............................................................396 additional .............................................................350 rotating drawing views ......................................................380 fill types in drawings.............................................358 rotating plates in drawing ............................................251 rule set ................................................................... 49, 61 adding to Master Drawing Catalog ........................59 definition ................................................................54 rule sets ........................................................................62 editing ....................................................................60 running dimensions direction ...............................................................151
s
saved settings ..................................................49, 57, 58 definition ................................................................54 editing properties ...................................................57 saving drawings ................................................................98 scale............................................................................118 alternative ............................................................123 change mode .......................................................124 of drawing views ..................................................123 preferred ..............................................................123 scaling fill types in drawings.............................................358 links in drawings ..................................................356 text files in drawings ............................................356 searching in Master Drawing Catalog ....................................67 secondary part bolt internal dimension .......................143
434
TEKLA STRUCTURES 15
secondary part dimensions ........................................ 149 section mark view label ............................................................ 297 section view properties............................................... 332 section views .............................................................. 125 adding to drawings .............................................. 259 direction............................................................... 260 direction mark...................................................... 261 label..................................................................... 262 mark .................................................................... 262 orientation mark .................................................. 261 properties ............................................................ 259 symbol................................................................. 262 select switches in Drawing Editor................................................... 29 selecting tables to table layout ........................................... 117 selecting objects in drawings ............................................................ 29 select switches, in Drawing Editor......................... 29 selection filter ............................................................... 29 semi-automatic dimensioning..................................... 230 sequences in reports ............................................................. 411 set dimension start point ............................................ 229 set dimension zero point ............................................ 229 shape dimensions ...................................................... 139 short dimensions ........................................................ 204 shortening parts.......................................................... 254 showing drawing objects ................................................... 377 single-part drawings ..................................................... 32 creating ................................................................. 70 properties ............................................................ 100 skew secondary part dimensions ............................... 150 skew secondary position ............................................ 153 spaces ........................................................................ 115 special color ............................................................... 349 specifying drawing size ........................................................ 127 split ............................................................................. 399 splitting marks ............................................................ 320 standard.fms............................................................... 422 start point.................................................................... 229 surface treatment hatch patterns ..................................................... 290 in drawings .......................................................... 288 in reports and templates...................................... 410 surfacing.htc ............................................................... 290 symbols in drawings .......................................................... 351 properties ............................................................ 352 types.................................................................... 352
t
table layouts defining................................................................116 modifying .............................................................119 table scale ..................................................................118 table transparency ......................................................118 tags.............................................................................211 Template Editor ..........................................................116 template editor............................................................408 reports .................................................................404 templates.............................................................404 template library .............................................................85 templates adding images .....................................................120 in marks...............................................................298 text..............................................................................390 along line .............................................................392 along line, arrow at end point ..............................392 along line, arrow at start point .............................393 in drawings ..........................................................353 with leader line ....................................................391 text files ......................................................................353 text tags ......................................................................196 toggle orientation ........................................................371 toolbars.........................................................................25 Drawing Editor.......................................................25 transparency...............................................................118 trim..............................................................................398
u
UCS ............................................................................370 creating dimensions ............................................372 unfolding .....................................................................253 unfolding dimensions..................................................141 unlink dimension lines ................................................228 updating drawings when the model changes .......................93 USabsolute dimensions..............................................132 user coordinate system ..............................................370 user-defined bolt symbols...........................................280 user-defined drawing attributes ..................................237
v
vector between corners ..............................................118 viewing reports .................................................................412
TEKLA STRUCTURES 15
435
views aligning drawing views.........................................380 arranging drawing views......................................379 cloning dimensions ................................................88 copying drawing views.........................................382 creating drawing views ........................................242 in drawings ..........................................................241 linking drawing views...........................................382 moving drawing views .........................................380 resizing drawing views.........................................381 rotating drawing views .........................................380 section views .............................................. 259, 332
w
weld marks......................................................... 350, 394 weld symbols ..............................................................312 merging................................................................282 welds drawing properties ...............................................281 in drawings ..........................................................281
welds in drawings marks ...................................................................312 symbols................................................................312 wizard definition ................................................................55 wizard files editing in Master Drawing Catalog.........................61 wizards cloning ...................................................................81 work point........................................................... 147, 164 workshop drawings see assembly drawings .........................................32 see single-part drawings........................................32
x
x dimension.................................................................223
y
y dimension.................................................................224
436
TEKLA STRUCTURES 15